A while back, Microcenter changed their pricing philosophy to compete directly with online stores, specifically the Egg... I have noticed that Microcenter will often price CPUs, etc. within a couple dollars of the Egg... Although I still buy most items online, it is very handy to be able to get items the same day if needed - especially on the weekend.
With their newer competive pricing, I think Microcenter is one step away from being the next Fry's. They have always had good prices on their sale items & larger items. Now they have good prices on their system build items. All they need to do is offer some more loss-leader items or combos like Fry's does.
I used to long for a Fry's to come into our area, but now Microcenter has eased the pain. The store is always busy, even in the middle of the day - so their strategy must be working! On the other hand, the CUSA in our area belly-flopped.