Business owner Greg Slater says he is impressed with Grand Haven's efforts to promote "buying local." That's just one of the reasons he chose downtown Grand Haven to open a second location of his technology sales and support business,
CCS Technologies.
The new store at 206 Washington Avenue is similar to the original store Slater founded in downtown Coopersville 33 years ago, offering sales and service of computers, laptops and other technology products.
Slater decided to move forward with the new store because of his increasing client base along the lakeshore, as well as encouraging results from a Grand Haven Downtown Development Authority marketing survey that showed the need for an electronics retailer.
"Putting down roots, as well as strong community involvement, will be some of the keys to our success in Grand Haven,” Slater says.
The new location is CCS Technologies' second major expansion in the past 10 years. In 2001, Slater restored a building on Coopersville's Main Street and grew the business to include a computer repair center and office supplies.
With the expansion to Grand Haven, the tech business hopes to add five more employees to its current 10 in the next two years. The 1,900-square-foot space won't require much work, just retail shelving and new signage.
"We'll also be adding a computer tech area that will allow us to work on customers' computers," Slater says.
With the ever-changing technology industry, CCS Technologies adapted and evolved its business model to meet the needs of individuals and the business world.
In 1976, the company provided payroll, accounts payable and receivable services and reporting and accounting functions to several West Michigan businesses. As personal computers became more common and companies began processing their own information, CCS evolved into an IT service provider.
In addition to computer sales and repair, Slater and his team of technicians now provide networking assistance, help desk support, Web design and more. The new store will open in October.
Source: Greg Slater, CCS Technologies
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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