Jawa dens in LA
July 28, 2006 4:22 PM   Subscribe

Where can I find "surplus electronics" stores in Los Angeles?

If you're an electronics geek in Rochester, New York, you know about "Dirty Ernie's," a nicknamed "surplus electronics" warehouse where you can find just about anything your little heart desires in the way of old functioning chips to hack, desoldered components, ancient monitors, gigantic server chassis, etc, etc. Scattered throughout the city there are probably half a dozen or more of these hovels, with Ernie's taking the cake. Along these same lines is my own personal Valhalla, the Black Hole of Los Alamos. Think the Finn's "METRO HOLOGRAPHIX" in Neuromancer and you're on the right track. Dusty aisles full of obsolete machines just begging to be revived or cannibalized for parts.

So I ask: if Rochester, NY has so many of these, it stands to reason that Los Angeles has to have at least one. Geeks of LA, help me! Where do you get your old hackable gear? Bonus points for a place run by a half-crazed pack rat who knows more about these ancient systems than his customers will ever know.

First one to say Fry's gets hurt.
posted by quite unimportant to Technology (9 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
National List of Surplus Stores
posted by mlis at 4:45 PM on July 28, 2006


All Electronics Corp? there's a store in Van Nuys. I've been there once (easily 10-12 years ago though) and they had all manner of goodies, more than what was in the catalog.
posted by mrg at 5:57 PM on July 28, 2006


You might try C&H in Pasadena.
posted by mr_roboto at 6:02 PM on July 28, 2006


All Electronics Corp
905 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA

That way you don't have to go all the way to the Valley. While you're down there you could stop a Langer's deli for a nice old-school sammich.
posted by drmarcj at 6:41 PM on July 28, 2006


BTW the Fry's comment almost made me do a spit-take... How is it possible that I simultaneously hate and love that place so much?
posted by drmarcj at 6:42 PM on July 28, 2006


California
posted by mlis at 7:04 PM on July 28, 2006


Seconded C&H. They have some decent test equipment that actually works and lots of electromechanical stuff for building killbots.
posted by todbot at 9:33 PM on July 28, 2006


C&H is my favorite, but Apex in Sun Valley on San Fernando Road is good, too.
posted by Skychief at 8:51 AM on July 29, 2006


The All Electronics store on Vermont closed down, the one in the valley is the only one open now.
posted by puppy kuddles at 12:04 PM on July 29, 2006


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