Whatever happened to old Amiga stores

[Tahoe]

Rummaging around old mag's I sort of started to wonder wat happened to those old stores that used to sell Amiga's. Did they go PC, did they go belly up?

Names that spring to mind are:
Gordon Harwood Computers
Evesham Micros
Diamond Computers
Silica Shop
NBS (public domain library)
Power Computing
Eyetech (stock bought by Amigakit?)
Wizard Developments

Anyone know?

 

[tokyoracer]

Most either liquidated (under new ownership), gone bust or changed the name to suit the current times. Some might still be about but generally it's one of them 3 things that caused them to disappear from the face of the earth.

Any that intended to stay in business would have certainly went to PC (or Mac which IMHO would have been the wrong choice soon after with Apple stores and that).

 

[WonkeyDonkey]

I certainly remember a few back in the day ! Quite a few little back-street outfits too; you would walk in and see shelves stacked full of the latest and greatest addons and accelerators, completely out of your price range and there to be drooled over for most of us.

 

[ptyerman]

From a quick Google search:
Gordon Harwood Computers is now a Apple reseller.
Evesham Micros closed in 2008 due to financial difficulties.
Diamond Computers is now a PC and Apple shop.
Silica Shop went belly up but are still registered as a company.
NBS I have no idea, presumably they just closed doors among the many others.
Power Computing is now a PC shop.
Eyetech closed their doors in 2005 and as you say, they sold up to Amigakit.
Wizard Developments closed as a hardware company at the end of the 1990's, but is registered as a software development company. Don't know if it's the same company for sure though.

 

[Justin]

Gordon Harwood Computers - became Square Group for Macs
Evesham Micros - just down the road from here - PC
Diamond Computers - PC, Mac and i-phone
Silica Shop - Bought by Escom and so killed (maybe restarting as a game retailer? "tenneragame"
NBS (public domain library) pass
Power Computing - still going but now PC
Eyetech (stock bought by Amigakit?)
Wizard Developments - sorry, pass again



lol ptyerman was a ninja there

 

[Peter]

A guy buys games from me on Ebay sometimes - it seems like he re-sells them I think as his ebay name has a game shop type of ring to it... the address that I send the games to is very similar as far as I recall to the address NBS Public Domain were at in the Isle of White - maybe the same guy...? must ask him next time.

 

[Amiga Forever]

The Two Computer Shop I remember in the 80`s were

MIRCO FUN - My Fav Shop and I know the staffs too
COMPUTER STORES

They dont have them now anymore

 

[Tahoe]

Thanx guys!!! Much appreciated!

 

[alexh]

Evesham Micros

Did PC's upto about 3 years ago and eventually went bankrupt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evesham_Technology

Power Computing

Still going.

http://powerc.co.uk/

Another big company you didn't remember was "Ladbroke Computing" in Preston (PR1 2QP). They went bankrupt in the SNES/MD era post Atari Falcon (1995/6) and the shop is closed and empty ever since.

I took some photo's and posted them on EAB a few years ago. The sign has since been robbed... (Retro geeks?)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=PR1...=gVPpIGV-CfptF55OChJGWQ&cbp=12,322.92,,0,7.03

 

[BrooksterMax]

Calculus Computer Stores - a large national UK chain I remember, always advertised in Amiga Format.

There was one in my home town Northwich and the shop became an independent computer repair and software seller. I don't think the "brand" lived on or was taken over.

http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/celebrities.html

"Calculus Computer Stores paid Radio DJ, Bruno Brooks to support their CD32 promotion during 1993."

 

[commodorejohn]

Depends on the store, but Raymond Computer in St. Paul was steadfastly Commodore-focused until the owner finally closed down last year

 

[Harrison]

Anyone remember Special Reserve? I was a member for years and received their catalogue every month and would soend agree going through the lists of games and hardware, marking off everything I wanted.

Ordered most of my Amigas, Dreamcast and first new PC from them. Great company. The actual shops closed down, but the company does still exist. Called Freeola and running as an ISP. I was with Freeola frim the start, first on dialup, then Broadband when my exchange finally got connected. And I started with them until very recently. Only switched because I needed an unlimited bandwidth service. I do however still have them connected for my parents. And a great service they have provided to date.

 

[keitha]

Anyone remember Special Reserve? I was a member for years and received their catalogue every month and would soend agree going through the lists of games and hardware, marking off everything I wanted.

I actually found one of their old catalogues the other day! WoW blast from the past