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GREENSBORO - Dan Atwell and his wife, Crystal, were among the first to arrive at the Circuit City off Wendover Avenue in Greensboro this morning, hoping to snag some deals before the chain closes for good Sunday.

The verdict?

"We weren't too terribly impressed, we'll put it that way," the 34-year-old High Point resident said.

Many customers gathered outside the store and waited until the doors opened at 10 a.m. Friday, hoping to take advantage of big discounts amid news that what once was the nation's second-largest consumer electronics retailer is closing for good by the end of this weekend.

After failing to find a buyer or secure refinancing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Circuit City said in January it would be liquidating its remaining 567 U.S. stores and laying off about 34,000 employees.

Although many had been unimpressed by earlier sales, customers throughout the country were still beckoned to the store by Circuit City ads declaring huge discounts - up to 90 percent - by Sunday.

But it was slim pickings Friday because most of the store's shelves were empty. What was left were a handful of flat-screen televisions and computer printers marked down by 50 percent, XM satellite car stereos that were 70 percent off, cables and accessories that were up to 90 percent off and a smattering of CDs and DVDs that were 80 percent off.

"It's almost all gone," said Browns Summit resident Louis Pacho, 60, who was shopping around for a television but left the store without buying anything.

The prices didn't knock his socks off either.

"We're not in a hurry to buy anything," he said. "Maybe that's good."

Barry Womack, 39, wasn't blown away either.

"They had a few televisions there, but I mean you can go to Walmart I think and get something comparable for less than that," the Graham resident said.

Contact Mike Fuchs at 373-3465 or michael.fuchs@news-record.com