If you hadn’t already heard, CompUSA is closing 100 stores nationwide (see locations below).  The list is here.  Rumors had it that our local store had guys in the street with signs advertising a big sale so my son and I trekked down to the store to confirm that we are about to lose the only decent computer store in our area and to check out the wake sale.  The bad news was loud and clear as we entered the store.

According to the employees of the store, Massachusetts will be left with only one CompUSA after the carnage is done and its in a town that I didn’t even know existed.  We were informed by the manager of the store that we were more than welcome to continue to shop at any of the CompUSA stores remaining open in New Hampshire.  Thanks.

CompUSA hasn’t been a great computer store in a long time.  They have carried fewer and fewer components over the years and their prices, for the most part, haven’t tracked reasonably with online vendors.  While I don’t expect a brick-and-mortar operation to match online prices, I do expect them to be only a reasonable increment higher.  But still, when you needed a new CPU cooler now, CompUSA was there.

There are still places around these parts that offer a reasonable selection of parts for the computer “hobbyist,”  but they’re disappearing quickly.  I guess the UPS/Fedex guy is going to spending more time in my driveway.

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