I visited the latest micro center in Santa Clara and that’s amazing

When it comes to purchases the last and best smartphonesTablets, computers, TVs and more, Americans have a pretty limited set of shopping shopping in a physical store. Over the past 15 years, the number of stores has focused exclusively on electronics. Even Best Buy, the largest physical electronics dealer in the United States, is struggling.

However, a dealer is a trend by not only surviving, but thriving. That dealer is the Micro Center, a small company that addresses hardcore tech-sex instead of the general technological consumer.

When I lived in New Haven, Connecticut (where I spent most of my life), my closest micro center in Brooklyn, New York, was pretty much the trip. However, it was always a worthy trip, for reasons why I should explain a little. However, when I moved to California’s North Bay Area in 2022, I was horrified to find just one microsenter throughout the state: the place in Tustin, more than eight hours away.

Fortunately, the twentieth ninth micro center site just opened in Santa Clara, ca, a much more sensible 90-minute drive from my house. In invitation from the company, I participated in an early access to the store – and it was fantastic.

If you are a very old American, like me, you probably remember visiting a radio hack. In its heyday, it was one of the few places to get all kinds of electronics and technical accessories, including hard to find objects such as unusual batteries, unique adapters and even soldering equipment. However, you probably also remember that Radio Shack stores were narrow, disorganized and staffed by non -supporting workers. Radio Shack went bankrupt in 2015.

Decades before the Radio Shack folded together, saw a few guys who worked for the company’s problems early and knew they could fix them. They left Radio Shack jobs and started the Micro Center, determined to create a welcoming space directly to technically knowledgeable consumers. Today, in 2025, the Micro Center is one of the most respected and paid tribute to the privately owned dealers in the United States.

The secret sauce of the micro center consists of two columns. The first, and most integrated are knowledgeable staff. If you are a frequent reader of websites that Android Authority And ever visited a best buy, you have probably experienced the company’s biggest problem, which is that you, the customer, know more about the technology than the employees. That probably won’t be the case at the Micro Center. Just like you and me, the people in all the stores know their things. If you have never experienced it, I can assure you that it is quite the excitement to ask a technical question during a purchase and have someone who actually knows what they are talking about answers.

The second pillar of Micro Center’s success is that it understands and respects customers. Instead of trying to appeal directly to the general technological consumer, the Micros Center prioritizes being arguably nerdy. Yes, the general technological consumer – people who do not live and breathe technically, but who still need to buy a phone, laptop, TV, etc. – are more than welcome in Micro Center stores. But people who are passionate about technology are the Micro Center focusing on, and all it does – stores setups, product categories, service offerings, etc. – always keeps the consumer category in mind.

In other words, it’s a store created by Tech Nerds for Tech Nerds.

Since I work on Android AuthorityYou know I love smartphones, tabletsSmartwatches, and all the other things we regularly cover here. However, I am in on technology -related things that we rarely talk about. I built my own games -PC, for example (4090 gangs, represent). I have too a plex serveris very in Smart Home TechAnd dabs in flying drones. I am also a contender, so I have a growing collection of tools for it, including cameras, lights, microphones and more.

Micro Center carries products related to all these categories – and much, much more. In addition to everything I have already mentioned, Micro Center also has TVs, computer screens, laptops, 3D printers (and filament for these printer), repair tools, board games, mechanical keyboards -the list continues and continues. It is a paradise for anyone who is passionate about a technical-related hobby.

When it comes to common technology categories, the Micro Center has a clear advantage that it usually has a wider selection than most other stores. Just look at the laptop of the Santa Clara store above. There is much more selection than you want to see in something Best Buy, Costco, Target, etc.

For the less common categories, the Micro Center is probably one of the few physical stores with them. In the United States, for example, it is not easy to buy a Raspberry Pi without doing it online. However, Micro Center, along with tons of additions, has seen and voice-related tools to use at one time. Similarly, if the portable battery dies and you need an immediate replacement, you probably need to book online and wait for it to be sent. At the Micro Center, however, there is a whole wall of batteries you can run in and grab and be on the way up and walk in a short time. Do you need the right tools to do that repair? Micro Center has them too. Don’t want to do the repair yourself? The service center is the first thing you see when you enter the store, and it has an outdoor design so you can see the technicians doing their jobs.

All this makes the Micro Center practical, but what really makes it a happy experience is the physicality of it all.

When I was doing my last Gaming PC building, I knew I wanted a new case. However, I have limited space in my small house, so it needed to fit into precise dimensions. Of course, I also wanted it to look cool and give the necessary features. During this process, I did all this research – and the final purchase – online, and the first time I actually saw the case personally when it came home to me. This works, but is absolutely far from ideal.

At the Micro Center, however, I could have seen and touched the case before I bought it. Besides, I could have compared the matter to my current to see the difference in size while also compared it to cases from other brands. Given that very few physical dealers sell PC cases, the Micro Center is one of the only places I could have gone to experience this.

There is only one example, but there are literally dozens. Where else can you go to Clack on a dozen different keyboards from multiple manufacturers to find out which one feels and sounds best? Where else can you choose between over a thousand filament colors to get the exact look you want for your next 3D printing project? Where else can you compare 50 laptops with each other, touch twenty desk microphones, hold dozens of Android phones and even sit in a racing -sim -rig to see how it feels? You can do all this and more at the Micro Center.

Ultimately, the only real problem I have with microsenter is not everywhere. The company has opened three stores over the past year, which is a lot, but it still seems like a small part of Americans have one within a two hour drive. After all, the company has been around for almost 50 years, and this is just the twentieth ninth store!

I can only hope that this new Santa Clara site strengthens the company’s success and that it continues to expand to several areas. For myself, I already dream that my next technology purchase that happens personally while chatting with a technical technical nerd about it. I’ve missed those days.