Union City Store Spared in Best Buy Closures

Best Buy announced over the weekend that it will be closing seven California stores and 50 across the nation, including two in the Bay Area, but the has been spared.

Company officials confirmed that stores in East Palo Alto and Pittsburg are among those slated for closure.

The stores are located at 1751 E. Bayshore Road in East Palo Alto and 4405 Century Blvd. in Pittsburg.

The two Bay Area locations will permanently close by May 12.

Officials said employees were notified about the closures Saturday morning, as were store customers.

The electronics store announced at the end of March its plans to close 50 stores nationwide by the end of 2012.

Two stores in Kansas City, Mo., and Scottsdale, Ariz., closed earlier this year and five other stores in Minnesota's Twin Cities and one in San Antonio, Texas, were notified of their impending closures in March.

Three additional locations are expected to permanently close later this summer.

Store officials said they are working with employees at soon-to-be shuttered locations to find positions within the Best Buy company. If a position cannot be secured severance packages are available.

The Union City Best Buy store remains open, as do locations in San Jose, Dublin, Colma, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View and Gilroy, among others.

-- Bay City News Service and Patch Staff