I went in Fry's last night. There is one word to describe this place and underline it. Upscale! Is this the Austin that's going under? You wouldn't know it by the crowds jamming the place, the place was packed. I thought I was in the land of failed dot coms? There were acres of upscale cars filling the parking line with yupsters storming the entrance, cell phones hard pressed to their ears. Inside there was a guy playing classical music at a grand piano. A very large, concert sized grand piano not some sleazy little synthesizer. There were marble floors. Bright lights, big wide aisles, and an assortment of everything in the Universe that runs electrons through it. Sixty, count 'em, sixty check out counters staffed by an army of white, starched shirts with ties. The sales people were besieged. I was lucky enough to score a sales guy and the whole time he was helping me put together a system, he was assaulted by people saying "Can I be next?". One guy said, can I help you so I can be next. But this is no chintzy warehouse like the Fry's in San Jose. This is a monster Circuit City, Sam's Club, Bestbuy, Altex, CompUSA all rolled in to one. And then some. Fry's must look in to the mirror every day and and say " . . . who is the most upscale of all?" and hear back "You are, oh great palace of electrons."

Fry's must look in to the mirror every day and and say " . . . who is the most upscale of all?" and hear back "You are, oh great palace of electrons." lol

http://www.austinpostcard.com/ Lot's of pictures of how Austin used to look.

The opening ceremony for IH35 in Austin: http://www.texasfreeway.com/austin/historic/photos/i35/images/i35_austin_opening_ceremony_3-29-1962.jpg