WhereIsAtlas · Tech

CompUSA

The big-box computer superstore of the 1990s and 2000s — bankrupt by 2007 and gone by 2012

Defunct — CompUSA was one of the biggest computer retailers in the United States, a familiar big-box superstore of the 1990s and 2000s. It filed for bankruptcy in 2007, sold off its stores, and the brand was wound down over the next few years.

CompUSA was founded in 1984 and became one of the largest computer retailers in America. Its superstore format — bright, enormous, stocked with hardware, software and accessories — made it a defining place to buy a computer and a common destination for anyone buying tech in the 1990s.

For a long time, if you wanted a PC, a printer or the latest software in person, CompUSA was one of the first places you went. It grew a national chain of stores and was, at its peak, a giant of computer retailing.

The retail world changed quickly, though. Big-box rivals and a booming online market — led by the rise of e-commerce — ate into its business. CompUSA filed for bankruptcy in 2007, closed or sold many of its stores, and the brand was finally retired around 2012.

Quick facts

Founded

1984, Dallas, Texas

The idea

Big-box computer superstore

Peak

One of the largest US computer retailers

Bankruptcy

2007

End

Brand wound down around 2012

Legacy

A giant of 1990s and 2000s computer retail

Sources

1. CompUSA - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
2. What Happened To CompUSA? — BGR (2026-09-05)

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