ComputerWare stores to reopen

After scooping up the ComputerWare name, Mac retailer Elite Computers & Software plans to announce Monday that it is reopening several stores from the defunct chain.

Elite CEO Thomas Armes said the first store from the San Francisco Bay Area chain to reopen will be the San Rafael location on Sept. 15. Armes aims to reopen the Sunnyvale and Capitola outlets by the end of October.

ComputerWare had 10 stores when it abruptly shut down this spring. Armes said his company is considering reopening more of the stores and perhaps venturing into new locales outside the Bay Area and even outside California.

"Basically, ComputerWare is back," Armes said.

On Wednesday, Elite said it had purchased the ComputerWare name and was considering reopening some of the stores.

Elite Computers & Software will run the stores under the name ComputerWare. Elite also purchased ComputerWare's phone numbers and has hired several of its top executives.

Despite tough times in the PC market and Apple Computer's opening of its own chain of retail stores, Armes said now is a good time to expand. Elite currently operates one retail store, across the street from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

"When the old ComputerWare closed, they left a huge void in the marketplace," Armes said. "There are a tremendous amount of customers that have been calling, asking us to reopen stores."