going out of business

Someone at work told me today that one of the CompUSA stores in town is going out of business. That is a little sad to me, not because I ever shopped there, but because I applied to work there when we were moving to the area.

At the time I needed a job to pay the bills until I was able to start at a different job I had lined up. I needed to be able to work for about three months, so I figured I could use my intermediate PC repair skills at Best Buy or CompUSA to make ends meet. Best Buy simply didn't bother to call me back. At CompUSA, I interviewed in a back room for a half hour and was told I would be contacted if something opened up. I was never contacted.

Before the interview, though, I had the chance to judge the store before the store's management could judge me. When I walked into the store I immediately wondered how they got any business. The store is on a busy road in a strong retail neighborhood, but I noticed a Best Buy across the street and the CompUSA felt very poorly maintained. The floors were dingy, the lighting was horrible, the parking lot was difficult to pull into, and the store simply did not feel inviting.

I often wonder why businesses ignore simple and important concepts like atmosphere. I would bet that most people who go into Best Buy are not going for the prices, because few things there are cheap. Most people go because Best Buy creates an inviting atmosphere. Best Buy is actually one of the few places I enjoy window shopping, and that is largely due to the store's ambiance.

I would like to think that I am above being swayed by a store's decor, but I really am not. If I am willing to pay a little extra in a nicer place for my stuff I have to believe that others are too. That's why our CompUSA is going out of business.