Weird California - By Joe Parzanese

Fry's Electronics Alien Invasion

Fry's Electronics

2311 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, California 91505



The aliens have invaded and they're swarming . . . Fry's Electronics? Yes the Fry's Electronics in downtown Burbank is under constant Alien Invasion. The entire store is made up to look like it's in a fifties alien movie. Outside above the front door, an alien ship lies crashed, lights flashing. Inside, you walk in under the other half of the UFO where little green men spill out pointing ray guns at customers. A young boy stands next to two fifties style gas pumps holding up a newspaper claiming aliens have invaded!

In front of the UFO is a jeep, sliced in half by a ray gun blast, with soldiers trying to fight back the alien menace. To the left of the store, customers can locate two giant Them like ants swarming over the merchandise. Another gigantic flying saucer lies near the back of the store and another gigantic ant lies over the customer service desk.

The tall silver alien from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" lies along the center aisle carrying an unconscious blond in his arms. In the far right corner, there is a small cafe consisting of three fifties style convertibles, complete with tables in the middle of them for dining (think Jack Rabbit Slims from Pulp Fiction).

To the right of the entrance you can find a gigantic alien octopus crashing through the wall. It's tentacles burst through the floors and hold up the electronics in this part of the store. Two jet fighters fly over the store to intercept and destroy the vicious outer space cephalopod.

So, yes, dear reader, the aliens have landed, right in downtown Burbank near the airport, and they've conquered . . . Fry's Electronics!

Apparently many of the Fry's Electronics stores are themed. The San Jose store is Mayan themed. Campbell is Egyptian. Fountain Valley is Ancient Rome and Woodland Hills is Alice and Wonderland.

The Woodland Hills store near LA is entirely Alice in Wonderland themed. Sadly they refuse to let you take pictures. When I visited I was descended upon by several employees as soon as I snapped my first shot and subsequently given the impression that I should beat a hasty retreat. They muttered something about licensing with Disney preventing photographs from being taken (which is odd, as I don't think Disney owns the Alice in Wonderland copyright). From the entrance though you walk in through a rabbit hole and find before you statues of Alice and other characters as well as giant rabbit bushes.

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Comments:

George of Van Nuys, ca on 2013-09-02 said: Disney owns 'their' images aka the way they drew each character of the disney animation disney's version is the one , that is most well known, and the statues in the store are of the disney design

Bryan of Citrus Heights, California on 2013-06-21 said: The Fry's in Roseville is designed with a train theme complete with a giant steam engine train coming out of the front over the door

Deanna B of Glendale, CA on 2011-03-09 said: I tried taking photos at the Anaheim Hills Fry's, which is themed to NASA/space exploration, and they also freaked out as soon as I took a photo. Are phony space shuttles copyrighted? But I've never had problems photographing the Burbank Fry's. Weird.

Katie of Seattle, WA on 2010-09-28 said: I never knew why the Woodland Hills location didn't allow pictures, but licensing issues make sense. Mystery solved for me.

Outside References:

Weird California (2006) by Greg Bishop, Joe Oesterle, Mike Marinacci, p: 164 - 165

Last Edited: 2008-07-27



