Micro Center is an American computer retail store chain, headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio. It was founded in 1979, and as of November 2025, has 30 stores in 20 US states.
History
Micro Center was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1979 by John Baker and Bill Bayne, two former Radio Shack employees, with a $35,000 investment.[2][7] Rick Mershad is the current CEO and President of Micro Center. Mershad was one of the first 10 employees of the company, starting as a Sales Associate two years after the company's founding.[8] The first Micro Center store was established in a 900 sqft storefront located in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center in Upper Arlington, Ohio. The store benefited from its proximity to Ohio State University and the scientific think-tank Battelle Memorial Institute, which provided a large customer base and a source of computer-literate salespeople.[9]