Micro Center might finally be opening a Phoenix store. What to know

Geeks, PC builders and tech-heads of Arizona might finally be getting their wish. Tech retail giant Micro Center could be opening a long-awaited store in Phoenix in the near future.

On Wednesday, a Reddit user shared a photo of a City of Phoenix building permit posted at a vacant storefront in the Arcadia Crossing shopping center near 44th Street and Thomas Road. The 36,801-square-foot space previously housed a Conn’s HomePlus location, which closed in 2024.

The permit, which was issued on April 18, lists Micro Center as the business owner and allows for partial interior demolition, including the property’s structure, plumbing and electrical systems.

While the Ohio-based retail chain has opened new locations in multiple U.S. cities in recent years, a Phoenix store has not been officially announced.

Phoenix New Times reached out to Micro Center on Thursday for confirmation the company is opening a Valley store but hasn’t received a response.

A spokesperson for SRS Real Estate Partners, the local brokerage firm overseeing leasing at Arcadia Crossing, told New Times that although Micro Center has “expressed interest” in the property, no lease agreements have been finalized.

If a Micro Center location in the Valley does become a reality, local nerds and PC builders who have eagerly awaited such news will finally have a brick-and-mortar tech paradise to score motherboards, hunt for rare parts and dodge shipping delays.

‘The king of retail when it comes to PC electronics’

Micro Center's rise as a go-to destination for PC builders and tech-heads spans decades. The chain originated in 1980 as a single 900-square-foot store in Columbus, Ohio, and has since grown to 28 locations currently operating in 19 states.

Computer geeks swear by the chain’s deep selection of motherboards, CPUs, GPUs and almost any other component needed to build a PC. Beyond that, it also stocks laptops, desktops, 3D printing filaments, various accessories and enough cables to start your own IT department. Makers love it too, thanks to aisles of Arduinos, soldering kits, sensors and tools for any wild idea.

Even in an age when Amazon and other online retailers are just a click away, Micro Center has continued to thrive. Since 2023, it’s opened new stores in Charlotte, North Carolina, Indianapolis and Miami, with more on the way. A Santa Clara, California location is set to open later this month.

As one local Redditor put it, “Micro Center is the king of retail when it comes to PC electronics.”

Micro Center’s popularity borders on cult-like. Fans in cities without a store often drive hours to shop or flood the company’s message boards with pleas for one nearby. That includes Phoenix, where local geeks have been especially vocal in their desire for a Micro Center location.

‘We need a Micro Center’

Over on the r/Phoenix subreddit, the same questions pop up every few months: Will the Valley ever get a Micro Center — and if so, when?

It’s no surprise to anyone who’s ever tried to piece together a custom-built PC or track down tech accessories while shopping local.

Since rival tech chain Fry’s Electronics began struggling with inventory issues in 2017 and ultimately shuttered its locations nationwide in 2021 — including its two metro Phoenix stores — there’s been a serious dearth of brick-and-mortar options for buying PC components in the Valley. Options like Best Buy and mom-and-pop retailers are available, but both lack a wide selection.

“We need a Micro Center,” one user of r/Phoenix commented in February.

Many local computer builders have either resorted to shopping online to get their PC gear. Others have made a six-hour trek to the nearest Micro Center in Tustin, California.

“This not having a (Micro Center) in AZ sucks. I’m about to drive to the Tustin location,” a local Redditor stated in 2020. “Only 5.5 hours + $60 in gas to get a GPU. Worth it!”

Local geeks have made it loud and clear: they want a Micro Center in Arizona. Since 2020, the company’s message board has seen more than two dozen posts asking for a store in the Valley.

The company’s response? Pretty much the same every time, albeit with slight variations and the occasional cheeky twist: We hear you and we’ll let our team know.

The most recent request came in January, complete with five reasons why Phoenix should land a Micro Center, including the fact that it’s the fifth-largest city in the U.S. and has a booming tech scene.

Within hours, a Micro Center’s message board admin gave a boilerplate response.

“Thank you so much for the support,” the admin replied. “I’ve actually seen quite a few posts for Phoenix recently ... I’ll make sure our real estate team is aware of this!”

‘Don’t play with my emotions Micro Center’

While this week’s news hints that a Micro Center may finally be coming to the Valley, the company remains as coy as ever.

Some local Redditors, though, are convinced it's proof positive the store is a done deal.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Reddit post announcing Micro Center’s partial demolition permit for the Arcadia Crossing property had more than 120 comments, many of them ecstatic. Some users posted celebratory memes (including a GIF of Michael Scott from "The Office" yelling, "Okay, it's happening!"). Others simply geeked out over the news.

“I live in Tempe and this is a 20 minute drive. Sure beats driving to Cali,” a user named red_dub commented.

A few Redditors were more cautious, fearing the store may never materialize.

“Don’t play with my emotions, Micro Center!” one Reddit user stated.

Others took a more humorous approach, joking that the wait could still stretch on for years.

“When it opens in 2030 it'll be just in time to upgrade my 1080!!!” user edtehgar joked.

“Perfect timing for when ‘GTA 6’ releases on PC,” another Redditor quipped.