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.
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.
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 77077 | April 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 77090 | July 31, 1993 - May 14, 2007 45 & 1960, Now a Goodwill |
| 5000 Westheimer Rd #500, Houston, TX 77056 | October 29, 1994 - March 2, 2008 Galleria, closed during bankruptcy, now Nordstrom Rack |
| 1013 W Bay Area Blvd Webster, TX 77598 | August 29, 1997 - May 14, 2007 Webster |
| 16626 Southwest Fwy Sugar Land, TX 77479 | November 14, 1997 - April 2007 Sugar Land Across 59 from First Colony Mall |
| 3908 Bissonnet St Houston, TX 77005 | 1997-2001 Now a Ross |
| 7630 FM 1960 W Houston, TX 77070 | June 15, 2001 - April 2007 Willowbrook Was originally a Computer City opened in 1995, closed in 1998 |
| 11687 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77077 | July 30, 2004 - March 2, 2008 Royal Oaks Opened as a replacement to Pavillions Shopping Center location. Now Sears Outlet |
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.
I remember CompUSA!! We shopped at the Westheimer and Kirkwood location, what a store.
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.