Country Computers is a family run business. My wife and I started our business in 2001 after having to do a career change from the travel trailer business due to health reasons. During the process of going back to school and working in a small computer store as I continued my education, the economy dropped off and the jobs I was counting on when I went in, were closing their doors or laying off their IT support. So instead of loosing everything I had gained, I decided to go out on a limb and open a small store in the front of our pole barn to “ride the storm out”. My wife and I had planned on just keeping the business until the economy got better and then I could hit the workforce with full speed. Things changed…drastically!
We started with $1,000 and that included the installation of the walls, carpet AND products on the shelf! It was slow to start but not long after we were supporting our town computers, and some of the local businesses as well as customers coming in more and more. So then we had the town’s interest and they wanted us to move downtown into a store front. In the fall of 2003, we did just that! We were given an opportunity to move downtown and we added an Internet Café and Gaming Center along with our computer store. It was a hit, we started Saturday night gaming for the kids in town and the word spread.
Our new location was busier than ever. We adopted our slogan “No High Tech Lingo ~ No Big City Attitudes” as that is how Darrell and his staff talks with our customers. We educate people so that they can have the knowledge to make a good decision of what is best for them. Because buying a computer shouldn’t be a one size fits all. Everyone’s needs are different in what they want and where they are going to be in the coming years with it.
The fall of 2004, we opened our second store in Rochester. Before we even had our doors officially opened, we had computers being dropped off for service…including our very own Mayor Phil Thompson. We are in hopes of expanding our store by 2007, as we outgrew our building soon after opening!
Over the past 5 years we have over 1300 clients! We have customers that drive over 40 miles to come to us, passing many computer stores along the way. We are a one stop shop, specializing in simple drive replacement, adding memory, or answering a question, to a more technical side of setting up a business network, wireless networking, building a custom computer for an individual or business. We also go into a business and consult them on how to tighten their security, set them up for off site back ups and easy hands off back up - taking human error out of the equation. We are known for our software for individuals or business that will ensure that their computers will be protected from spy ware, viruses, and human nature’s “tinkering around”. Keeping their systems out of the shop as often or making it easier for the administrator to do the major functions of their job and not being a busy bee with everyone’s everyday problems!
