Computer buyers to
see retail titans
square off

Computer City plans
"SuperCenter"

By Peter Wagner
Star-Bulletin

It looks to be a clash of titans when "Superstore meets "SuperCenter" in Kakaako later this year, and computer shoppers can only enjoy it.

One day before the grand opening of CompUSA Inc.'s 40,000 square-foot store on South Street, Computer City yesterday announced plans for a 30,000 square-foot store with similar amenities on nearby Kamakee Street.

"What competition does is sharpen everyone's skills," said Tim Archangeli, general manager at Computer City.

Computer City, now in a 15,000 square-foot store near Ward Centre on Auahi and Kamakee streets, plans to move into larger quarters across Kamakee in September as Pier 1 Imports takes Computer City's current spot. The move will double Computer City's retail floor space and triple parking.

"The bottom line is it's good for customers here," said Marty Plotnick, president of Honolulu marketing firm Creative Resources Inc.

"It's not just price competition but the depth of inventory offered."

CompUSA calls its big store -- among the biggest in its chain of 160 -- a "Superstore."

The 100-store Computer City labels its monster a "SuperCenter."

The competitors are offering a similar array of products and services -- business networks, technical help and training, children's areas, and a huge selection of hardware and software.

CompUSA can boast Apple Macintosh products among its range of high tech merchandise. But Computer City is taking its store a step further with an Internet cafe.

"It'll be very much like Borders or Barnes & Noble with soft leather chairs and books and things like that," Archangeli said.

Four such SuperCenters opened last month in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., aimed at making the high-tech gadgetry friendlier to nontechnical consumers.

Computer City also plans to open a computer training facility across the street.

Archangeli said Hawaii is a good place for such a superstore because of its high volume of sales.

The company's two stores, a 25,000 square-foot outlet at Waikele and the 15,000 Kakaako store, currently provide the highest volume of sales in the chain.

"Hawaii is a very technology-driven market," Archangeli said. "It has the highest percentage of cell phones and pager units. People in Hawaii really thrive on technology."

He also notes that Hawaii's geographic isolation lends itself to the Internet as a means of communication and enterprise.

Computer City's move across the street has long been sought, Archangeli said, because the current store is too small. "It was apparent right from the start that the building was inadequate for us," he said.