The Good Guys!

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The Good Guys!
Fate Acquired by CompUSA
Founded 1973
Defunct 2003 (acquired), 2005 (all stores renamed/closed)
Location Brisbane, California
Industry Retail
Products Computers, televisions, VCRs, and DVD players

The Good Guys! was a chain of consumer electronics retail stores with 71 stores in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The company was headquartered in Brisbane, California in the Dakin Building in the early-1990s and subsequently in Alameda, California until it was bought in late 2003 by CompUSA. The Good Guys was founded in 1973 by Ron Unkefer on Chestnut Street, San Francisco. As of 2006, all The Good Guys stores have closed.

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[edit] Re-launch

After all The Good Guys stores closed in 2005, CompUSA began marketing all California and Hawaii stores as CompUSA with Good Guys Inside in response to Best Buy's new marketing campaign with Magnolia Inside. However, this marketing campaign was dropped in an attempt to further separate CompUSA from the Good Guys name, and assist in launching its new Home Entertainment sections in select locations. The Good Guys name will once again no longer exist in 2008 when CompUSA closes its remaining stores.

If you purchased an television & extended warranty through The Good Guys! or CompUSA, these warranties can still be accessed through General Electric Extended Warranties.

[edit] Hostage crisis

Further information: 1991 Sacramento hostage crisis

In 1991, one of the stores in the chain located in Sacramento was taken over by four armed robbers. The event would end up being the largest hostage situation to ever take place in North America.

[edit] Australian Chain

The Good Guys name is also used by a chain of similarly branded but independently owned and operated electrical stores in Australia. The stores maintain identical colours, signage and branding but with the name of the owner of the store appended eg: "Phil Favero - The Good Guys". The group of stores also buy cooperatively to enable them to compete with larger chains in Australia such as Harvey Norman and Bing Lee. The Australian stores are not associated with the American operations.

[edit] References