Adray. Simply say the word and anyone who grew up in Dearborn will likely have an immediate memory.

For me, it’s Little League baseball and as a kid the many visits with my father to what was once THE electronics superstore in metro Detroit.

Perhaps that is why it felt like a punch to the gut when word that Adray would close spread throughout our community. I think it is safe to say that most of us don’t normally feel a connection to a cinderblock building filled with TVs, cameras and appliances. But that was and is the Adray difference.

Adray wasn’t just another store in Dearborn but one that sponsored Little League baseball teams, hockey teams and provided scholarships to Henry Ford Community College. I played on dozens of Adray baseball teams as a kid and still have a few of my baseball hats with the famous “A” on them. George Bednar, Adray vice president and general manager, tells us that Adray will continue with all of its sports and scholarships sponsorships, which is great news. It also indicates perhaps that Adray indeed will re-emerge, but I’ll get back to that point.

Adray was and is probably best known for its camera selection and having the MOST knowledgeable and friendly staff anywhere. At one time, it also had one of the best stereo sound system selections, too.

But as the big box electronics stores moved in and the popularity of online shopping picked up, Adray had to change and its offerings were pared down a bit, too. Part of that had to do with a fickle public, many who live in our city.  

Sure they will all say they want a local store and a friendly staff who remembers their name when they walk in the door, but these same people would toss that to the side to save $20 bucks on a purchase from Best Buy, Costco or Wal-Mart.  “Adray, who?” they probably said as they slipped the Andrew Jackson into their pocket. That’s how some roll when it comes to supporting our own in this town. So sad.

The purchasing power of those big box stores was also something Adray couldn’t compete with any more. Where Adray might purchase 20 or 30 of the hottest new electronic gizmos or TVs or whatever, the big boxes were purchasing train car loads full of them. Now who do you think the manufacturer is going to give a better price to?

Bednar said that it was a combination of those business challenges, along with having a store location that wasn’t “easy to find” and the high costs associated with keeping a 23,000-square-foot building maintained that forced the decision to close.

“We gave it our best effort,” said Bednar, a 31-year employee of Adray. “The people have been wonderful. Many stopped in just to tell us they would miss us. It has been very special.”

It was in an e-mail blast to its customers that Adray let out the bad news. It would be “retiring” its Dearborn store, the note said. That note along with full page advertisements in the local dailies attracted droves of people looking to score a good deal. Interestingly enough, Adray is calling its store closing a “retirement”sale.

The “retirement” part is a key distinction here. This isn’t a going out of business sale. Saying that would make it legally more difficult to reopen again, which Adray says it will most likely do, but with a smaller footprint.

“It’s a retirement sale. We are retiring the Dearborn store,” Bednar said. “You will probably see us re-emerge but I can’t say when or where. We would like to continue in a smaller location. We may have an announcement before we close.” 

Let’s hope so.

A lifelong resident, Said Deep continues his commentary on Dearborn at his Web site www.deepsaidwhat.com.