Computer Shops

[Harlan Huckleby]

Do you have small computer stores in your town?

Madison had dozens small computer shops a few years ago. If I checked the phonebook today I suppose I might find a few left, but every one I was aware of went out of business.

Has Best Buy/Geek Squad taken all the business? The small shops used to offer really excellent service and advice. I imagine they suffered from people hanging-out there, then making purchases elsewhere.

[Freak Out]

Online shops like newegg and the big box stores like BB and Walmart killed the small stores.

[texaspackerbacker]

We've got a place called Pixels in our town, run by a stereotypical nerd. He is excellent at fixing computers, and works for reasonable rates.

[mraynrand]

Re: Computer Shops

Do you have small computer stores in your town?

Madison had dozens small computer shops a few years ago. If I checked the phonebook today I suppose I might find a few left, but every one I was aware of went out of business.

Has Best Buy/Geek Squad taken all the business? The small shops used to offer really excellent service and advice. I imagine they suffered from people hanging-out there, then making purchases elsewhere.

There's still the typewriter store on Park, right? You can get you old Continental fixed and while you wait have a high cholesterol, 1000 calorie breakfast at the Curve.

[Harlan Huckleby]

We've got a place called Pixels in our town, run by a stereotypical nerd. He is excellent at fixing computers, and works for reasonable rates.

I sure miss those places.

I had a friend who ran a fantastic computer shop that everybody loved. I lost track of him and never talked to after he went out of business. He assembled fantastic computers, but I think people prefered the cheaper, low quality disposables from Best Buy. He always had tons of repair work, but I suppose the profit margin there is thin.

[mraynrand]

Re: Computer Shops

Has Best Buy/Geek Squad taken all the business? The small shops used to offer really excellent service and advice. I imagine they suffered from people hanging-out there, then making purchases elsewhere.

Like the camera stores. It used to be you could go and talk lighting and f stops etc. with the guys that knew their stuff - maybe buy that telephoto lens you always wanted. Now you gotta figure it out on line using advice from packerrats. SC, anyone?

[Harlan Huckleby]

ya, camera shops get raped even worse than computer stores by customers.

You can order a camera online and not worry so much about service.

I have a friend who is a photographer who always hangs out at camera shops. Buys a few supplies there, exchanges tips, but ALWAYS orders significant camera equipment online. Actually, this is past tense, as both good camera shops closed.

[GBRulz]

I'm sure online merchants are a big reason why the little guys have gone away. However, I also think the cost of computers in general have a lot to do with people having theirs repaired vs. outright buying a new one, hence the need to have the local repair guy fix it.

I remember when I went to school, my parents plucked down about $3,000 to make the upgrade from DOS to windows! If something went wrong, you'd be more adept to taking it to a shop and having it fixed. Why even bother now because you can have a brand new laptop for $500? In many cases, cheaper.

I totally agree with you guys about the camera shops, too. It seems like the ones around here who are left don't just offer camera supplies anymore. They added things like a "print cafe", where you can go in and get immediate prints, while having a latte. Or, they have added a studio as well. It's like they weren't getting by on just camera sales anymore. I tried to support the local camera dealers, but where he wanted $700 for a lens and I found it on amazon for half that cost, I couldn't justify it.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm sure online merchants are a big reason why the little guys have gone away. However, I also think the cost of computers in general have a lot to do with people having theirs repaired vs. outright buying a new one, hence the need to have the local repair guy fix it.

ya, that is a big factor.

my recent experience with a computer virus (trojan horse) tells me those infections are jobs-creation programs for computer repairers. But that is low margin work, perhaps sucked-up by Geek Squad.

By the way, I discovered that virus protection programs do NOT effectively clean up a computer after infection. It took an additional program, which I downloaded for free from beepingcomputer.com, called ComboFix that got rid of the little buggers.

[Freak Out]

I've always done business with Stewart's....it's just a joy to go hang out and talk photography with these guys.

http://stewartsphoto.com/

We still have many "computer" shops in Anchorage but most cater to corporate support rather than consumers...and if they do it's gouge central on hardware so I would never buy from them.

[bobblehead]

Whenever my computers fritz, I call a guy on craigslist who comes right to my door and fixes it right up for $30 cash. Why would I need a computer shop?