Best local appliance/electronics store (Austin, Burnet: sales, apartment, appliances)

[twange]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good local appliance/electronics retailer/outlet? I'd rather not go to BestBuy, Circuit City, WalMart etc... We want to get a new TV(nothing huge, just a small LCD flat panel for our apartment), but we'd rather buy local if possible.

Those big places are so annoying to me

[atxcio]

That's a good question.

The only local place I know of is A&B TV off Anderson in N Austin - A&B TV (http://www.abtvaustin.com/about.html - broken link). I bought a TV there years ago, decent price (older model) and the people were friendly. They've got ads in the paper each week.. in general, I think they are more expensive, and there isn't the "easy return" policy of your BB/Circuit City... but they are local. I think there is another place called "Austin Home Theatre" in the same area (Anderson/Burnet). Went there to look at some Magnepan speakers, but ended up ordering those direct (GREAT deal, BTW).

You also might consider Fry's. They are not a local chain, but a very small chain and each store they build unique for the area. The Austin one has a music theme, the front door is a big giant piano. Lots of props to the local music scene inside. I really, really like that store.

If those don't do it for you, I'd look up a local TV repair shop and ask where you might find a locally owned dealer.

[pvaustin]

Originally Posted by twange

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good local appliance/electronics retailer/outlet? I'd rather not go to BestBuy, Circuit City, WalMart etc... We want to get a new TV(nothing huge, just a small LCD flat panel for our apartment), but we'd rather buy local if possible.

Those big places are so annoying to me

You may not like this answer. But when it comes to appliances/electronics I would recommend to stick with the leading retailers. It makes servicing/installation/returns etc a little easier.
I compare items (big ticket ones) from most places, including A&B and Conn's (you may consider them to be local), but always end up buying it from a BestBuy or Fry's.
I try to stay away from Walmart. Prices might be ok, but worst service that you can imagine.
Sears is a good place too for appliances.

If you still hold reservations against big box retailers, try online stores.

[twange]

Great info folks. I'm not hard-core anti-big box, but I used to work for a family-owned appliance store chain in college, and those people were so informed and friendly that I kept going there for years. Great point about return policies. That is quite an advantage of larger places. God knows I've returned enough merchandise to Home Depot over the years I'll check out Frye's.

BTW, Walmart just bums me out on so many levels

[south side chap]

We had a good experience buying a whole set of goods from Giant Appliances which is one of those "scratch & dent" retailers. They have stores on North Lamar and somewhere else that escapes me. Thankfully we are yet to test how robust the warranties are, but the savings as against full retail price were great.

As I recall they do sell TVs although the brands were non mainstream.

Further, given that we were assisted by the owner's sister, I guess this a locally owned outfit.

[romesq]

We've had excellent service from Home Theatre Store, near Anderson Lane. Since we're digital dinosaurs, we need attention, which we get. Altho a high end store, the sales on smaller units appear competitive, and with the service and knowledge you get, we think the price is right.

[mimimomx3]

I remember Oscar Snowden's....