CompUSA Prototype Portends New Look For Chain
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 11/19/2007
MCALLEN, TEXAS — CompUSA has opened a new-format store here last month, elements of which will be incorporated into other CompUSA locations across the country.
The 25,000-square-foot relocation includes an Apple shop, a full-length LCD TV wall, expanded gaming and business services sections, and a redesigned IT support area.
"This new store aligns CompUSA's vision to better serve its three core customers — the technology enthusiast, educated professional and small and medium businesses," said Gabriela Villalobos, the retailer's sales and operations executive VP.
Among the changes:
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a 1,100-square-foot Apple shop featuring Mac computers, iPods and Apple accessories;
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an entire wall devoted to the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 gaming platforms, plus a PC gaming setup to test equipment and play new titles;
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a 1,000-square-foot business services area with displays of "complete technology solutions" such as point-of-sale systems, servers and storage, networking infrastructure and VoIP; and
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a state-of-the-art, open-air depot for the company's TechPro technical support service.
Many of the new elements will be adapted in other CompUSA markets across the country, depending on customer demand and product interest, the company said. One of the McAllen store features that were recently incorporated into each of the chain's 103 locations is a Techie Parts section, which offers a large selection of motherboards, processors, power supplies, unique CPU cases, high-end video cards and other computer parts for customers who wish to build their own custom PCs.
CompUSA announced in April that it would narrow its focus to three core customer groups rather than try to serve a mass audience. The move was part of a comprehensive restructuring, initiated last February, that included an overhaul of senior management and the closing of half its store base as the privately held chain struggles to improve sales and profitability.
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