Best Buy to Close 50 Stores

Electronics retailer Best Buy announced the locations of 42 of its big box store closures Saturday, including two stores in the Bay Area.

Best Buy officials confirmed closures in East Palo Alto and Pittsburg, along with five other California stores.

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.

An outgoing message at both Bay Area locales said they were closed Saturday and would reopen for normal business hours on Sunday.

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.