[Wilton2ParkAve]

Does anyone remember the electronic store/retailer that previously leased the space now occupied by Old Navy and Bed Bath and Beyond?

[kidyankee764]

Wasn't it Comp USA?

[Comp625]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Was it Comp USA?

I think where CompUSA used to stand is now an Ocean State Job Lot in Orange (401 Boston Post Road). Maybe CompUSA did occupy the Old Navy location but then they eventually moved up the street?

Or perhaps the Old Navy location was Computer City? It's a blind guess, as I wasn't living in Connecticut at that time. But I do know Computer City was a big box tech retailer during the 90's.

Now I am curious for the answer myself...

[Comp625]

By the way, for any tech-heads out there, the nearest big box computer specialty store is MicroCenter (in Yonkers, NY). Don't you wish Connecticut had a MicroCenter or Fry's?! I know I do! I bet they chose not operate here since the cost is so darn high, especially in an age where electronic retailers like BestBuy, Circuit City, etc. have either struggled or outright failed.

(For those who may not know, BestBuy carries some (but not a lot of) enthusiast products. Their focus is to understandably cater to the layperson, but techies like myself get very frustrated walking through BestBuy.)

[Wilton2ParkAve]

I got it, Lechmere. It was a regional electronics chain swallowed up shortly by Montgomery Ward before its liquidation in 1997. The space sat vacant for 2 years before Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy set up shop. It's before my time in CT, but my DW was trying to recall.

[Slipperman]

Originally Posted by Comp625

By the way, for any tech-heads out there, the nearest big box computer specialty store is MicroCenter (in Yonkers, NY). Don't you wish Connecticut had a MicroCenter or Fry's?! I know I do! I bet they chose not operate here since the cost is so darn high, especially in an age where electronic retailers like BestBuy, Circuit City, etc. have either struggled or outright failed.

(For those who may not know, BestBuy carries some (but not a lot of) enthusiast products. Their focus is to understandably cater to the layperson, but techies like myself get very frustrated walking through BestBuy.)

I know both CompUSA and Computer City were both around when I lived in Massachusetts (92-98). they were both just down the street from each other in Framingham but am pretty sure they're both gone now so Mass was victim to the economy as well. and I know what you mean - i'm a major techie myself and I miss the days of visiting both stores at least once or twice a month. they were very similar in what they sold.

[Comp625]

Originally Posted by Slipperman

I know both CompUSA and Computer City were both around when I lived in Massachusetts (92-98). they were both just down the street from each other in Framingham but am pretty sure they're both gone now so Mass was victim to the economy as well. and I know what you mean - i'm a major techie myself and I miss the days of visiting both stores at least once or twice a month. they were very similar in what they sold.

Agreed, I miss how "fun" it is to walk through a Walmart-style store but strictly dedicated to techies.

IMO, the trend of techie-specialty stores closing shop started before the economic collapse. As you know, part of it was that online retailers like Newegg and Amazon started to steal too much business away due to their minimized overhead and vast (nearly unlimited) selection of stuff.

You'd appreciate this story: I was building a PC last summer and needed a very specific right-angle SATA cable. I could not find one for the life of me. Even computer repair shops like PCW Computing didn't have it. So I drove all the way to MicroCenter in Yonkers just for the cable (instant gratification ). Their store screamed old-school -- it even had a U.S. Robotics (mind you, not even 3Com) sign still lit up across one of their walls.

That's when I truly realized that I missed the likes of CompUSA, Computer City, etc. To be fair, those stores can't survive on shoppers' occasional $3.99 knick-knack. But I digress...

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I got it, Lechmere. It was a regional electronics chain swallowed up shortly by Montgomery Ward before its liquidation in 1997. The space sat vacant for 2 years before Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy set up shop. It's before my time in CT, but my DW was trying to recall.

I don't even remember Lechmere at all.


I do remember that there was a multi-story Holiday Inn on that property.


I'm feeling old right now.

[mlassoff]

I remember Lechemere. When I got my drivers license I would venture from Westport to Milford to go to Lechemere and CompUSA. I miss CompUSA alot. It was great fun.

We need to bring Fry's Electronics to Connecticut!

[Slipperman]

Lechmere was another i saw in Mass. i remember they had a music sampling station where i discovered 2 of my favorite albums at the time. it was right around the time it closed that i moved back to CT (North Haven in 98) and lo and behold there was an old Lechmere bldg on Universal Dr (i worked out at the In Shape there which is now closed). don't remember if that's the bldg that became Circuit City.