Apple Computer
Aficionado Opens Third Store in Nashville, N.H.
Now, a few years
after quitting his druggist job at the CVS Pharmacy in Keene, Leighton has
opened a MacEdge store at 210 Daniel Webster Highway. The Nashua store opened
in mid-August and is Leighton's third store focusing on Apple computers and Apple
computer accessories and software.
"I opened the Keene store seven years ago and haven't looked back."
Leighton's love of Apples started as an avocation. "I'm a big kid who has to have his toys," he said. Leighton and his fellow Apple lovers have been meeting since the early 1990s at the Nashua Public Library for Southern NH Apple Core meetings.
"It is one of the few computer user groups that are still around."
He started selling Apples and offering consulting and technical services as a hobby in 1984, although he was still working at CVS. He worked there for 15 years, and for an independent pharmacy for another five years before that, but eventually his love of computers prevailed.
"It got to a point that I was making as much money with my hobby as I was at the pharmacy, so it made sense to quit the pharmacy and follow my passion," he said. "This is a job where I can play with computers. What could be better than that?" He started out as a one man operation, but now has several employees spread across his three stores. He also has a store in Dover.
Apple users love their MacIntosh or iMac computers, often sparking the Apple versus PC debates that rage between computer enthusiasts. Apple users are still outnumbered in these office water cooler debates. But they are gaining ground, Leighton says.
"Apple is having a lot of success in their new switching campaign," he said. "We find that a number of people that work in (information technology) will have a PC at work, but a Mac at home."
The computer industry has evolved enough that compatibility issues between Apple and PC computers aren't much of a problem anymore, Leighton said.
Apple has been able to carve out niches in the desktop computer market. For example, many graphic artists prefer Apple computers, and an early emphasis on education has enabled Apple computers to establish a strong presence in schools. But one of the problems with Apple computers is the difficulties in finding someone to service the computer. PCs seem to have a repair shop at every corner, but places that sell Apples, never mind service them, are few and far between.
Leighton hopes to fill that void in Nashua.
"We are Apple specialists and there really isn't anyplace like ours in the area," he said. He and his technicians are certified to repair Apple computers.
"The demographics here are great. We're in tax-free New Hampshire right over the border, which is very attractive when it comes to computer buyers," he said.
"Different areas have different needs. We are still getting stock in here, but what we are finding is that this area has a lot of high-end IT people. We've already got a few requests for a video card to put a second monitor on a computer. You don't get requests like that from casual users."
But these high end users, as well as Apple beginners, appreciate the level of service he can provide.
"The big computer stores like CompUSA really don't know Apples as well as we do. It is just one more item they sell. Here we are dedicated to Macs. I don't expect to put CompUSA out of business. I just want a small slice of the market," he said.
An Apple slice, that is.
THE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE APPLE CORE USERS' GROUP MEETINGS
Time and dates: 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every month
Place: Nashua Public Library
MacEdge Store 210 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua.
Telephone: 888-6205
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
To see more of The Telegraph, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nashuatelegraph.com
(c) 2002, The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
"I opened the Keene store seven years ago and haven't looked back."
Leighton's love of Apples started as an avocation. "I'm a big kid who has to have his toys," he said. Leighton and his fellow Apple lovers have been meeting since the early 1990s at the Nashua Public Library for Southern NH Apple Core meetings.
"It is one of the few computer user groups that are still around."
He started selling Apples and offering consulting and technical services as a hobby in 1984, although he was still working at CVS. He worked there for 15 years, and for an independent pharmacy for another five years before that, but eventually his love of computers prevailed.
"It got to a point that I was making as much money with my hobby as I was at the pharmacy, so it made sense to quit the pharmacy and follow my passion," he said. "This is a job where I can play with computers. What could be better than that?" He started out as a one man operation, but now has several employees spread across his three stores. He also has a store in Dover.
Apple users love their MacIntosh or iMac computers, often sparking the Apple versus PC debates that rage between computer enthusiasts. Apple users are still outnumbered in these office water cooler debates. But they are gaining ground, Leighton says.
"Apple is having a lot of success in their new switching campaign," he said. "We find that a number of people that work in (information technology) will have a PC at work, but a Mac at home."
The computer industry has evolved enough that compatibility issues between Apple and PC computers aren't much of a problem anymore, Leighton said.
Apple has been able to carve out niches in the desktop computer market. For example, many graphic artists prefer Apple computers, and an early emphasis on education has enabled Apple computers to establish a strong presence in schools. But one of the problems with Apple computers is the difficulties in finding someone to service the computer. PCs seem to have a repair shop at every corner, but places that sell Apples, never mind service them, are few and far between.
Leighton hopes to fill that void in Nashua.
"We are Apple specialists and there really isn't anyplace like ours in the area," he said. He and his technicians are certified to repair Apple computers.
"The demographics here are great. We're in tax-free New Hampshire right over the border, which is very attractive when it comes to computer buyers," he said.
"Different areas have different needs. We are still getting stock in here, but what we are finding is that this area has a lot of high-end IT people. We've already got a few requests for a video card to put a second monitor on a computer. You don't get requests like that from casual users."
But these high end users, as well as Apple beginners, appreciate the level of service he can provide.
"The big computer stores like CompUSA really don't know Apples as well as we do. It is just one more item they sell. Here we are dedicated to Macs. I don't expect to put CompUSA out of business. I just want a small slice of the market," he said.
An Apple slice, that is.
THE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE APPLE CORE USERS' GROUP MEETINGS
Time and dates: 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every month
Place: Nashua Public Library
MacEdge Store 210 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua.
Telephone: 888-6205
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
To see more of The Telegraph, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nashuatelegraph.com
(c) 2002, The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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