I visited the most recent Micro Middle in Santa Clara, and it is wonderful

In terms of shopping for the most recent and biggest smartphones, tablets, computer systems, TVs, and extra, People have a reasonably restricted set of choices for buying in a bodily retail retailer. Over the previous 15 years, the variety of shops centered solely on electronics has dwindled. Even Finest Purchase, the most important bodily electronics retailer within the US, is struggling.

One retailer, although, is bucking the pattern by not solely surviving, however thriving. That retailer is Micro Middle, a small-ish firm that caters to hardcore tech geeks slightly than the overall tech client.

Once I lived in New Haven, Connecticut (the place I spent most of my life), my nearest Micro Middle was in Brooklyn, New York, which was fairly the hike. Nonetheless, it was at all times a worthwhile journey, for causes I’ll clarify in a bit. Once I moved to California’s North Bay space in 2022, although, I used to be dismayed to search out just one Micro Middle in all the state: the situation in Tustin, greater than eight hours away.

Fortunately, the twenty-ninth Micro Middle location simply opened in Santa Clara, CA, a way more affordable 90-minute drive from my home. On invitation from the corporate, I attended an early entry opening of the shop — and it was wonderful.

Should you’re a really outdated American, like me, you in all probability bear in mind visiting a Radio Shack. In its heyday, it was one of many few locations to get all method of electronics and tech equipment, together with hard-to-find gadgets like unusual batteries, distinctive adapters, and even soldering tools. You in all probability additionally bear in mind, although, that Radio Shack shops had been cramped, disorganized, and staffed by unsupportive employees. Radio Shack went bankrupt in 2015.

A long time earlier than Radio Shack folded, a number of guys who labored for the corporate noticed its issues early and knew they might repair them. They left their Radio Shack jobs and began Micro Middle, decided to create a welcoming house catered on to tech-savvy customers. In the present day, in 2025, Micro Middle is without doubt one of the most revered and lauded privately owned retailers within the US.

The key sauce for Micro Middle is made up of two pillars. The primary, and most integral, is educated workers. Should you’re a frequent reader of websites like Android Authority and have ever visited a Finest Purchase, you doubtless have skilled that firm’s largest drawback, which is that you simply, the client, know extra in regards to the tech than the workers. That’s not more likely to be the case at Micro Middle. Identical to you and me, the folks on workers in all its shops know their stuff. Should you’ve by no means skilled it, I can guarantee you that it’s fairly the joys to ask a tech query throughout a purchase order and have somebody who really is aware of what they’re speaking about reply.

The second pillar of Micro Middle’s success is that it understands and respects its clients. Reasonably than making an attempt to enchantment on to the overall tech client, Micro Middle prioritizes being unabashedly nerdy. Sure, the overall tech client — individuals who don’t dwell and breathe tech however nonetheless want to purchase a telephone, laptop computer, TV, and so on. — are greater than welcome in Micro Middle shops. However people who find themselves obsessed with tech are what Micro Middle focuses on, and every little thing it does — retailer layouts, product classes, service choices, and so on. — at all times retains that client class in thoughts.

In different phrases, it’s a retailer created by tech nerds for tech nerds.

Since I work at Android Authority, you already know I like smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and all the opposite issues we usually cowl right here. Nonetheless, I’m into tech-related stuff that we not often discuss. I constructed my very own gaming PC, for instance (4090 gang, characterize). I even have a Plex server, am very into sensible dwelling tech, and dabble in flying drones. I’m additionally a content material creator, so I’ve a rising assortment of instruments for that, together with cameras, lights, microphones, and extra.

Micro Middle carries merchandise associated to all of those classes —  and far, rather more. Along with every little thing I’ve already talked about, Micro Middle additionally has TVs, pc displays, laptops, 3D printers (and filament for these printers), restore instruments, board video games, mechanical keyboards — the listing goes on and on. It’s a paradise for anybody passionate a few tech-related passion.

Concerning frequent tech classes, Micro Middle has a definite benefit in that it normally has a broader choice than most different shops. Simply have a look at the laptop computer part of the Santa Clara retailer above. That’s far more choice than you’ll see in any Finest Purchase, Costco, Goal, and so on.

For the much less frequent classes, Micro Middle is probably going one of many only a few bodily retail shops to hold them. For instance, within the US, it’s not simple to purchase a Raspberry Pi with out doing so on-line. Nonetheless, Micro Middle has them, together with tons of add-ons, kits, and STEM-related instruments to make use of with one. Likewise, in case your laptop computer battery dies and also you want an instantaneous alternative, you’ll in all probability have to order on-line and look ahead to it to be shipped. At Micro Middle, although, there’s a complete wall of batteries you may run in and seize and be again up and operating very quickly. Want the right instruments to do this restore? Micro Middle has them, too. Don’t need to do the restore your self? The service middle is the very first thing you see whenever you stroll into the shop, and it has an open-air design, so you may see the technicians doing their jobs.

All of this makes Micro Middle handy, however what actually makes it a joyous expertise is the physicality of all of it.

Once I was doing my most up-to-date gaming PC construct, I knew I wished a brand new case. I’ve restricted house in my small home, although, so it wanted to suit inside exact dimensions. In fact, I additionally wished it to look cool and supply the mandatory options. Throughout this course of, I did all this analysis — and the ultimate buy — on-line, and the primary time I really noticed the case in particular person was when it arrived at my dwelling. This works, however is actually removed from best.

At Micro Middle, although, I might have seen and touched the case earlier than buying it. What’s extra, I might have in contrast the case to my present one to see the distinction in measurement whereas additionally evaluating it to instances from different manufacturers. Given that only a few bodily retailers promote PC instances, Micro Middle is without doubt one of the solely locations I might have gone to expertise this.

That’s only one instance, however there are actually dozens extra. The place else are you able to go to clack on a dozen totally different keyboards from a number of producers to determine which one feels and sounds one of the best? The place else are you able to choose from over a thousand filament colours to get the exact look you need in your subsequent 3D printing mission? The place else are you able to evaluate 50 laptops to 1 one other, contact twenty desk microphones, maintain dozens of Android telephones, and even sit in a racing sim rig to see what that looks like? You are able to do all of this and extra at Micro Middle.

Finally, the one actual drawback I’ve with Micro Middle is that it’s not in every single place. The corporate has opened three shops up to now 12 months, which is quite a bit, nevertheless it nonetheless looks like a tiny portion of People have one inside a two-hour drive. In any case, the corporate has been round for almost 50 years, and that is solely its twenty-ninth retailer!

I can solely hope that this new Santa Clara location bolsters the corporate’s success, and it continues increasing to extra areas. For myself, although, I’m already dreaming about my subsequent tech buy occurring in particular person whereas I chat with a fellow tech geek about it. I’ve missed these days.