About us
Charles Colby Jr. has been working in the computer and data processing field since 1965, back when processing was still done with punch cards.
After retiring from the Aetna company, he started his own small business in East Granby, CT. Computer Salvage is located proudly in the Center Shops Plaza on Route 20 and 74 South Road in Somers, CT.
Though Charles is both a unique technician and businessman, he chiefly considers himself to be a doctor to the broken or infected computers that find their way to his store. This is something that is obvious with just one glance at his workspace, which includes designated areas for out patient treatment, an infirmary and, for those unlucky machines that don't make it, a morgue.
"I figure that's what we do. We help people fix their computers that are sick," says Charles.
For the last 11 years, as computers have become more and more important to people's daily lives, Charles has seen countless customers enter his store in various stages of panic.
"A lot of people use them for their business. So we try to take care of those people right away." says Charles, who, though even being always busy, finds the time to attend each sick computer.
Once Dr. Charles has nursed the machine back to health, he can recommend a prescription to the customer to make sure it doesn't come back any time soon.
Charles and his two sons, Charles III and Carter, who work alongside their father at the store, always makes sure to get customers up to date on the latest anti-virus software and teach them how to prevent having the same problems again. Of course, it's up to the owners to make sure the computer follows the doctor's orders
"A lot of people have (the software), but they never use it," says Dr. Charles, who has seen and treated hundreds of virus infected computers.
Treatment of sick computers is only a part of what Computer Salvage does, however. Most large scale corporations buy their computers new and then replace them around two years later. Thanks to his experience in the corporate world, Charles, knowing this process, buys up the thrown away computers, refurbishes them and sells them again at the store. This gives both a second chance to perfectly fine machines and an opportunity to Charles's customers to buy a computer from someone they know and trust.
Computer Salvage can offer some older models for as little as $35, while also being able to provide more recent models that can generally top out at around $500.
Not surprisingly, that business model has allowed Colby to capitalize off of the bad economy rather than suffer from it, as computers become more of a necessity and people's budgets grow tighter.
"Reliable repair jobs and fair prices are a big help to the business," says Charles, "however, the most important ingredients are some of the most easy to overlook - humor and good old-fashioned courtesy."
"My reason for being in the business is I've always wanted to be treated a certain way, and that's how I treat my customers," he says. "I always say 'leave that attitude at the door'".
Computer Salvage is located at 3C Turkey Hill Road in East Granby's Center Shops Plaza. They are open Tuesday through Saturday and can be reached at (860) - 653 - 3524.
The Doctor is in.
