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Tuesday, May 2, 2000
Man turns his computer repair skills into profit
Also, Gen X Clothing store opens its second local outlet on S. Staples
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| David Pellerin/Caller-Times |
| Corando Gallegos, a local representative of handtech.com, sells computers out of his home office. Gallegos is an analytical chemist at the Corpus Christi Army Depot who turned his skill of repairing computers into a business he can conduct on the side in addition to his work at the depot. |
Local Army Depot analytical chemist Corando Gallegos is turning his computer repair skills into a profitable Internet venture.
Last year Gallegos opened a local branch of handtech.com, which is a national online computer store that offers local representatives you can call for installation or repair help.
Gallegos entered the computer repair business "basically by default," he said. There was no one else to turn to when a computer at the depot would crash, he said.
"I started teaching myself, then I took classes," Gallegos said. He then looked into different Internet opportunities, and handtech.com came along. For a joining fee, Gallegos taps into the resources made available from handtech.com, which is based in Austin and was started in 1996 by two former Dell Computer Corp. CEOs. Handtech.com keeps the computer equipment inventory until an order comes in through a local representative or on the Web. Gallegos then helps serve the local customer by offering his computer skills to get the system up and running.
"It's almost like being a Tupperware or an Avon person," he said.
In his first year of business, Gallegos, who still works full time at the Army Depot, has completed 60 sales, he said.
"I work on it 20 to 30 hours a week," he said. "I try to balance that between my other responsibilities. I'm able to set my own hours, and, in effect, get into my own business with a minimum investment."
Handtech.com now has more than 12,000 self-employed consultants like Gallegos across the U.S., according to the company's Web page.
"You're able to take the best of both worlds," he said. "And then deal with one person with expertise and sit down with them."
Gen X Clothing
The youthfully minded Gen X Clothing has another branch in Corpus Christi, this one at 4120 S. Staples.
Owner Seijong Oh moved here from Los Angeles last year and opened the city's first store in September, at 4224 Ayers St.
Oh has a store in Los Angeles, and stores in Washington, Idaho and Utah as well, he said. He emphasized that the branches "aren't a chain, they are a family business." Each store is run by a family, Oh said.
The family has sold clothing for the last five years, Oh said. He chose to open his store in Corpus Christi on the advice of friends.
On Retailing is published every other Tuesday in the Caller-Times business section. The column includes news of new, relocated and expanded businesses in the Coastal Bend, plus retailing trends and profiles. Ideas may be submitted to: On Retailing, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, Texas 78469; e-mail Tara Copp at coppt@caller.com; fax items to (361) 886-3732; or call (361) 886-4316.
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