Gateway shutters two more stores

Gateway has closed two Country stores in Arkansas, electing to shutter the locations as leases came up for renewal, CNET News.com has learned.

The direct PC seller closed the two stores, one in Fort Smith, Ark., and one in Hot Springs, Ark., last Thursday. Gateway has said it is reviewing the performance of all its stores as leases come up for renewal. Gateway closed three stores for similar reasons in May.

Company spokesman Greg Lund said the company has had 63 of its store leases come up for renewal. Since then, the company has renewed 57 leases and closed six locations.

Gateway has closed other stores in the past. In January, the company announced it would close 19 stores as part of a broader restructuring that has also seen Gateway exit all overseas markets and slash its work force. In March of 2000, the company said it was closing 10 percent of its stores in the United States to cut costs.

Gateway has been expanding the amount of inventory and the types of products it carries in its stores. Separately on Monday, the company said it would start selling a Gateway-branded plasma television as well as stock more digital gear in stores, such as digital cameras and music players.

The nearest store to Gateway's Fort Smith store is in Fayetville, Ark., while the closest store to the Hot Springs location is in Little Rock, Ark.