CompUSA

CompUSA has its history as a company out of Addison (a suburb of Dallas) named Soft Warehouse. By the 1990s computers had completely left the hobbyist market, and most P.C. sales took place either at specialty shops or chain electronic stores. Big Box Chains were often “brand-restricted” meaning they wouldn’t carry a competitor’s hardware or software. Specialty P.C. shops were generally the answer to the variety question, but prices were sure to be much higher. Soft Warehouse aimed to combat that issue by providing lots of variety, while keeping prices low by sticking to Computers and Accessories.

This now Sears Outlet was the final home of the Westheimer CompUSA.

By 1988 the company had expansion on the mind, opening a second store which was located in Atlanta. Plans for a third location soon came to light with Houston being selected as the next city. This new location would be the anchor spot of the recently completed Pavilions Shopping Center. With an all-mirrored glass front, only being broken by a single white stripe for signs, the center provided a unique home for Soft Warehouse. The store was an immediate success, essentially holding a monopoly on the Houston market.

The store is mostly intact, with the circular layout even being used by Sears

In early 1991 Tandy was focused on expanding their similar Computer City concept, with Houston again being an early market. Computer City acquired two locations of the failed Highland Superstores to help broaden their appeal Soft Warehouse decided to rename themselves CompUSA in early 1991.

Address
Notes
12230 Westheimer Rd #60, Houston, TX 77077April 29, 1989 - July 29, 2004 Pavillions Shopping Center The first CompUSA in chain all earlier stores were SoftWarehouse. Later Goodwill Computer Works.
330 FM 1960 Houston, TX 77090July 31, 1993 - May 14, 2007 45 & 1960, Now a Goodwill
5000 Westheimer Rd #500, Houston, TX 77056October 29, 1994 - March 2, 2008 Galleria, closed during bankruptcy, now Nordstrom Rack
1013 W Bay Area Blvd Webster, TX 77598August 29, 1997 - May 14, 2007 Webster
16626 Southwest Fwy Sugar Land, TX 77479November 14, 1997 - April 2007 Sugar Land Across 59 from First Colony Mall
3908 Bissonnet St Houston, TX 770051997-2001 Now a Ross
7630 FM 1960 W Houston, TX 77070June 15, 2001 - April 2007 Willowbrook Was originally a Computer City opened in 1995, closed in 1998
11687 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77077July 30, 2004 - March 2, 2008 Royal Oaks Opened as a replacement to Pavillions Shopping Center location. Now Sears Outlet

3 comments

  1. Worked at the corporate office right up until the end. Great company to work for at the time, just wish it would have gone differently.

  2. The original Soft Warehouse/CompUSA on Westheimer had a nice glass front until a truck drove through the windows and made off with nearly 100 grand worth of PC stuff! Then the bollards came.

    Nearly everything they sold was PC-compatible at first.

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