Type Private Revenue $2.4 billion (2015) Founded 1979 Founders Bill Bayne, John Baker | Number of locations 25 Number of employees 2,750 (2016) Parent organization Micro Electronics, Inc. | |
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Key people Richard M. Mershad (CEO)
Peggy Wolfe (COO)
John Noble (CFO) Products Computers, Consumer Electronics & Accessories CEO Richard M. Mershad (Dec 2002–) Headquarters Hilliard, Ohio, United States Profiles | ||
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Micro Center is an American computer department store, which has its headquarters in Hilliard, Ohio. It is one of the top 200 of America's largest private companies.
Contents
Micro center summer trip 2016
History
Micro Center was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1979 by John Baker and Bill Bayne, two former Radio Shack employees, with a $35,000 investment. The first Micro Center store was established in a 900 sq ft (84 m2) storefront located in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center in Upper Arlington, Ohio. The store benefited from its proximity to Ohio State University and the scientific think-tank Battelle Memorial Institute, which provided a large customer base and a source of computer-literate salespeople. Their goal for the first year was $30 million in sales, and they achieved $29.9 million. In 2009, Micro Center developed an "18-minute pickup" service where customers who order merchandise on their website can pick it up from the store in 18 minutes.
As of 2015 there were 25 Micro Center stores nationwide in 16 states, including California, Massachusetts and New York.
Corporate structure
Micro Center is a subsidiary of Micro Electronics, Inc., a privately held corporation headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio.
Stores are sized up to 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2), stocking about 36,000 products across 700 categories, including major name brands and Micro Center's own brands. Micro Center has had Apple departments in all stores since 1982, and has included "Build Your Own PC" departments, "Knowledge Bars" for service and support, and "Knowledge Theaters" for free classes on weekends since 2007.
Public profile
Micro Center was the first retailer in the United States to sell the DJI Mavic Pro drone, launching it by hosting a three-day demonstration in their Columbus store's parking lot which was open to the press and the public.
In a 2015 interview, Microcenter CEO Rick Mershad described how their product line is changing: the STEM movement is driving students and adults to make their own creations, and Micro Center is focusing on Arduino projects and Raspberry Pi, which require more consultative selling.
Media reception
Joan Verdon of The Record noted that meeting customer’s needs with a high level of service and skilled salespeople are Micro Center’s "claim to fame". She also quoted Doug Olenick, editor at TWICE, a major consumer electronics trade publication, who said that the store’s salespeople, compared to others in the industry, are extremely well trained.
Awards and rankings
In 2014, Micro Center was ranked number 93 in the list of 100 hottest retailers in the US, compiled by the National Retail Federation. In 2015, the industry trade journal Dealerscope ranked it as the 18th largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States and Canada. In 2016, Forbes magazine ranked it 195th among America's largest private companies, with 2,750 staff and annual revenue of US $2.4 billion.
In October 2016, Micro Center stores won first and second prizes in Intel's "Score with Intel Core" competition, and donated their prize money to local schools.