# Micro Center

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{{Short description|American computer retail store}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Micro Center
| logo = Micro Center logo.svg
| logo_class = skin-invert-image
| type = [Division](/source/Division_(business))
| genre = 
| foundation = {{start date and age|1979}}, in [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus%2C_Ohio)<ref name="bizjournals">{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/01/16/micro-center-opening-stores-in.html |title=Micro Center opening stores in Brooklyn, Queens |last=Eaton |first=Dan |date=January 16, 2014 |publisher=Columbus Business First |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref>
| founders = John&nbsp;Baker and Bill&nbsp;Bayne<ref name=Miracle>{{cite news |last=Franklin |first=Peter D. |title=The Miracle on Lane Avenue |work=The Columbus Dispatch |date=November 4, 1990}}</ref>
| location_city = [Hilliard, Ohio](/source/Hilliard%2C_Ohio)
| location_country = U.S.
| num_locations = 30 (2025)
| origins = 
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list |Richard M. Mershad ([CEO](/source/Chief_executive_officer))<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.ks.gov/CM_ServiceWM/displaydocuments.aspx?DocID=04327598 |title=For Profit Corporation Annual Report |date=September 2015 |website=www.sos.ks.gov |format=PDF |access-date=November 2, 2016}}</ref> |Peggy Wolfe ([COO](/source/Chief_operating_officer))<ref>{{cite web |title=Peggy Wolfe at Micro Electronics, Inc.: Chief Operating Officer |url=https://leadferret.com/directory/person/peggy-wolfe/2997861|website=leadferret.com |access-date=November 3, 2016}}</ref> |Brad Kramer ([CFO](/source/Chief_financial_officer))<ref>{{cite press release | date=April 22, 2024| title= Micro Center Doubles Down on Unmatched Customer Support in the Tech Retail Industry | publisher= [preweb.com] | url= https://www.prweb.com/releases/micro-center-doubles-down-on-unmatched-customer-support-in-the-tech-retail-industry-302122435.html| accessdate=June 25, 2024}}</ref>}}
| area_served = 
| industry = 
| products = [Computers](/source/Computers), [consumer electronics](/source/consumer_electronics) and accessories
| revenue = $2.4 billion (2015)<ref name=Forbes_2016 />
| revenue_year = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| num_employees = 2,750 (2016)<ref name=Forbes_2016 />
| num_employees_year = 
| parent = Micro Electronics, Inc.
| divisions = 
| subsid = 
| owner = 
| homepage = {{url|https://microcenter.com}}
| dissolved = 
| footnotes = 
}}

[[Image:Micro Center CIMG0781.JPG|thumb|right|The former Micro Center store in [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas), which was replaced with a newly constructed 32,000 square foot store in 2015<ref>{{cite news |date=April 21, 2014 |title=S&P selected to build new Micro Center store near Galleria |url=http://www.chron.com/life/health/article/S-P-selected-to-build-new-Micro-Center-store-near-9898197.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=November 3, 2016}}</ref>]]
thumb|right|The Micro Center store in Columbus, Ohio
thumb|right|The Apple department in Micro Center Queens, New York

'''Micro Center''' is an American computer [retail store](/source/retail_store) chain, headquartered in [Hilliard, Ohio](/source/Hilliard%2C_Ohio). It was founded in 1979, and {{As of|2025|11|lc=y|post=,}} has 30 stores in 20 US states.

==History==
Micro Center was founded in [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus%2C_Ohio) in 1979 by John Baker and Bill Bayne, two former [Radio Shack](/source/Radio_Shack) employees, with a $35,000 investment.<ref name=Miracle/><ref name=DFAS_1995>Columbus Dispatch DFAS Magazine, "Doing the Right Thing Right" December 1995, p.12</ref> Rick Mershad is the current CEO and President of Micro Center. Mershad was one of the first 10 employees of the company, starting as a Sales Associate two years after the company's founding.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEZO-FuRrtQ | title=Interview with Microcenter CEO Rick Mershad | website=[YouTube](/source/YouTube) | date=November 24, 2015 }}</ref> The first Micro Center store was established in a {{convert|900|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} storefront located in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center in [Upper Arlington, Ohio](/source/Upper_Arlington%2C_Ohio). The store benefited from its proximity to [Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University) and the scientific think-tank [Battelle Memorial Institute](/source/Battelle_Memorial_Institute), which provided a large customer base and a source of computer-literate salespeople.<ref name=Verdon_2007>{{cite news |last=Verdon |first=Joan |date=March 16, 2007 |title=Service is their password - Computer chain to open N.J. store |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=BE%7C&p_product=NJMNP&p_theme=njmnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22Computer%20chain%20to%20open%20N.J.%20store%22%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22Computer%20chain%20to%20open%20N.J.%20store%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |work=The Record |location=Hackensack, NJ |page=B01 |access-date=November 8, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Their goal for the first year was $30&nbsp;million in sales, and they achieved $29.9&nbsp;million.<ref name=DFAS_1995/> 

In the fall of 1997, Micro Center expanded into [Silicon Valley](/source/Silicon_Valley) by opening a store in [Santa Clara, California](/source/Santa_Clara%2C_California).<ref name="Slonaker">{{cite news |last1=Slonaker |first1=Larry |last2=Langberg |first2=Mike |title=Expansion Into New Markets Will Test Fry's Spotty Record on Customer Service |page=13A|work=San Jose Mercury News |date=August 24, 1997 |via=[NewsBank](/source/NewsBank)}}</ref>  To compete against what was then the dominant computer retailer in California, [Fry's Electronics](/source/Fry's_Electronics), Micro Center stressed its better employee pay and superior customer service.<ref name="Slonaker" />

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.<ref name="DJI Mavic Pro"/>

On July 23, 2012, Micro Center suddenly closed its Santa Clara store—its only one in Silicon Valley—after it was unable to negotiate a further extension of its store lease.<ref name="McCracken">{{cite news |last1=McCracken |first1=Harry |author1-link=Harry McCracken |title=Technology in the 1990s, as Captured in Obsolete Computer Store Signs |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/08/13/technology-in-the-1990s-as-captured-in-obsolete-computer-store-signs/ |access-date=September 24, 2024 |work=Technologizer (Time) |date=August 13, 2012}}</ref>  By then, the store's front facade had already become a dated relic of the late 1990s, with long-obsolete logos from [Hayes](/source/Hayes_Microcomputer_Products), [USRobotics](/source/USRobotics), [Practical Peripherals](/source/Practical_Peripherals), [Lotus Development](/source/Lotus_Development), and [Fujifilm](/source/Fujifilm).<ref name="McCracken" /> A new store opened on May 30, 2025 in a different Santa Clara location formerly occupied by a [Bed Bath & Beyond](/source/Bed_Bath_%26_Beyond).<ref name="Tolentino">{{cite news |last1=Tolentino |first1=Aaron |title='The best computer store in the world' set to open first Bay Area location |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/the-best-computer-store-in-the-world-set-to-open-first-bay-area-location/ |work=KRON 4 |date=May 28, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Kan">{{cite news |last1=Kan |first1=Michael |title=A PC Builder's Wonderland: Inside Micro Center's New Silicon Valley Store |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/pc-builders-wonderland-inside-new-micro-center-santa-clara-california-store |work=[PCMag](/source/PCMag) |date=May 30, 2025}}</ref>  The new store was welcomed as filling a significant "void" in Silicon Valley, since the 2021 closure of Fry's had left [Best Buy](/source/Best_Buy) as the only big-box electronics store chain in the area.<ref name="Tolentino" /> 

In January 2014, the company opened new [New York City](/source/New_York_City) stores in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn) and [Queens](/source/Queens).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Eaton |first=Dan |date=2014-01-16 |title=Micro Center opening stores in Brooklyn, Queens |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/01/16/micro-center-opening-stores-in.html |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>

As of May 2025, there are 29 Micro Center stores nationwide in 19 states, including [California](/source/California), [Colorado](/source/Colorado), [Florida](/source/Florida), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), [Illinois](/source/Illinois), [Indiana](/source/Indiana), [Kansas](/source/Kansas), [Maryland](/source/Maryland), [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts), [Michigan](/source/Michigan), [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota), [Missouri](/source/Missouri), [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina), [Ohio](/source/Ohio), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), [Texas](/source/Texas), and [Virginia](/source/Virginia). The chain opened their 30th store in [Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) on November 7, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leatherman |first=Benjamin |date=2025-11-05 |title=Micro Center in Phoenix: A look inside the new 'tech-heaven' |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts-culture/micro-center-in-phoenix-a-look-inside-the-new-tech-heaven-40618548/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=Phoenix New Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Corporate structure ==
Micro Center is a subsidiary of Micro Electronics, Inc., a privately held corporation headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio.<ref>{{cite book |date=March 2001 |title=Hoover's Handbook of Private Companies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rf7Eam2GfEsC |publisher=Hoover's, Incorporated |isbn=978-1-57311-067-9}}</ref>

Stores are sized up to {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}, stocking about 36,000 products across 700 categories, including major name brands and Micro Center's own brands.<ref name=Hoovers/> Micro Center is an approved seller of all Apple products.<ref name=":0" /> The company has had [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.) departments in all stores since 1982, and has included "Build Your Own PC" departments, and "Knowledge Bars" for service and support since 2007.<ref name=Miracle/><ref>{{cite news |last=Verdon |first=Joan |date=April 27, 2007 |title=Steady as she grows |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=BE%7C&p_product=NJMNP&p_theme=njmnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22Steady%20as%20she%20grows%22%20AND%20date(4/1/2007%20to%204/30/2007)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=4/1/2007%20to%204/30/2007)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22Steady%20as%20she%20grows%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |work=The Record |location=Hackensack, NJ |page=B01 |access-date=November 4, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Public profile==
Micro Center was the first retailer in the United States to sell the [DJI](/source/DJI_(company)) [Mavic Pro](/source/Mavic_(UAV)) 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.<ref name="DJI Mavic Pro">{{cite news |date=November 18, 2016 |title=Micro Center First Retailer to Host DJI Mavic Pro Experience |url=http://www.newschannel10.com/story/33743673/micro-center-first-retailer-to-host-dji-mavic-pro-experience#.WDDiNs0GkMQ |work=News Channel 10 |access-date=December 12, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220110318/http://www.newschannel10.com/story/33743673/micro-center-first-retailer-to-host-dji-mavic-pro-experience#.WDDiNs0GkMQ |archive-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref>

In a 2015 interview, Micro Center 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](/source/Arduino) projects and [Raspberry Pi](/source/Raspberry_Pi), which require more consultative selling.<ref>{{YouTube|id=MEZO-FuRrtQ|title=Adafruit Industries: Interview with Microcenter CEO Rick Mershad}}</ref>

===Media reception===
thumb|Micro Center Keyboard Aisle in Vienna, Virginia
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.<ref name=Verdon_2007/>

In 2021, the store started to offer a free [solid-state drive](/source/solid-state_drive) to new customers, but ''Storage Review'' was not impressed, concluding "it's free, but it's still not worth it". More generally, they noted that: "Micro Center's Inland brand is to tech what Amazon's dozens of brands are to toilet paper, shampoo, and such."<ref>{{cite news |last=Beeler |first=Brian |date=August 24, 2021 |title=How Good is Micro Center's Free SSD? |url=https://www.storagereview.com/review/how-good-is-micro-centers-free-ssd |work=StorageReview.com |access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref>

==Awards and rankings==
In 2014, Micro Center was ranked 93rd on a list of the 100 hottest retailers in the United States compiled by the National Retail Federation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Malone |first=JD |date=August 2, 2014 |title=Columbus companies among top retailers |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/08/02/columbus-companies-among-top-retailers.html |work=The Columbus Dispatch |access-date=November 2, 2016}}</ref>

In 2015, the industry trade journal ''Dealerscope'' ranked it as the 18th largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States and Canada.<ref name="Dealerscope101">{{cite journal |last=Spinale |first=Laura |date=2015 |title=Top 101 CE Retailers: Retailers Post Modest Increases in a Turbulent Marketplace |url=http://www.dealerscope.com/item/dealerscope-top-101-retailers-2015/ |journal=Dealerscope |publisher=North American Publishing Co. |access-date=October 29, 2016}}</ref>

In 2016, ''Forbes'' magazine ranked it 195th among America's largest private companies.<ref name="Forbes_2016">{{cite web |title=Micro Electronics on the Forbes America's Largest Private Companies List |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/micro-electronics/ |work=Forbes |access-date=October 29, 2016}}</ref>

In October 2016, Micro Center stores won first and second prizes in [Intel](/source/Intel)'s annual "Score with Intel Core" competition, and donated their prize money to local schools.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 11, 2016 |title=Micro Center to Present $45,000 in Donations from Intel to Local Schools |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/micro-center-to-present-45000-in-donations-from-intel-to-local-schools-300342608.html |work=www.prnewswire.com |access-date=November 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McGowan |first=Mary Kate |date=October 24, 2016 |title=Computer store to donate $10,000 to Powers Ferry Elementary |url=http://www.mdjonline.com/news/computer-store-to-donate-to-powers-ferry-elementary/article_8dbb6086-9a52-11e6-be03-67883cd3e3de.html |work=Marietta Daily Journal |access-date=November 2, 2016}}</ref>
In 2019, Micro Center stores won first and third prizes, making two more prize money donations to local schools.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brubaker |first=Paul |title=Intel, Micro Center Bolster District's One-to-One Device Initiative with Donation of $25,000 to Buy 40 Dell Chromebooks |url=http://www.paterson.k12.nj.us/news/19-20/11122019-chromebooks.pdf |publisher=Paterson Public Schools |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Score with Intel Core |url=https://www.emufsd.us/news/article.aspx?id=94399 |publisher=East Meadow School District |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==
According to the American business research company [Hoover's](/source/D%26B_Hoovers), the major competitors to Micro Center's parent company Micro Electronics are:<ref name=Hoovers>{{cite web |title=Company Profile - Micro Electronics Inc. |url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.micro_electronics_inc.ac90cb8bb5681877.html |publisher=Hoover's (a subsidiary of Dun and Bradstreet) |access-date=November 3, 2016}}</ref>
* [Best Buy](/source/Best_Buy)
* [PC Connection](/source/PC_Connection)
* [Amazon.com](/source/Amazon.com)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.microcenter.com}}

Category:Consumer electronics retailers of the United States
Category:Online retailers of the United States
Category:Computer companies of the United States
Category:Home computer hardware companies
Category:American companies established in 1979
Category:Computer companies established in 1979
Category:Computer hardware companies
Category:Electronics companies established in 1979
Category:Retail companies established in 1979
Category:1979 establishments in Ohio
Category:Retail companies based in Ohio
Category:Privately held companies based in Ohio
Category:Companies based in Franklin County, Ohio
Category:Companies based in the Columbus metropolitan area, Ohio

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Micro Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Center) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Center?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.