* Ribbit Computers owner Alex Harb in front of what wil be his newest story at 2616 Maize Rd. near 5 guys Burgers and fries.

Ribbit Computers owner Alex Harb in front of what wil be his newest story at 2616 Maize Rd. near 5 guys Burgers and fries.

Ribbit Computers is coming to north of 21st and Maize Road, as owner Alex Harb’s plan to saturate Wichita with his computer sales and service stores nears completion.

But it’s not the end of Ribbit’s growth, Harb said, as he puts the finishing touches on a plan to bring his stores to smaller Kansas communities.

Ribbit will become the final piece in an 8,960-square-foot retail center at 26th North and Maize Road, home to Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Cinnamon’s Deli and the first Long John Silver’s on an end-cap of a retail center, developers said. Construction has not begun yet.

“I’ve been looking for a while around that area,” Harb said. “I’d talked to several landlords and almost made a couple of deals, but I wasn’t convinced 100 percent. I didn’t have that ‘feeling’ about the locations I was looking at.”

After a month’s vacation, Harb spotted the Five Guys center.

“It just hit me right then,” he said. “I choose my locations by following my feelings. If I have that ‘feeling’ then I know it will go well.”

The 2,500-square-foot Ribbit will have nine employees — 6 PC technicians and three Apple technicians, the latter a growing segment of Ribbit’s business.

“Apple has been rapidly improving its product,” Harb said. “Used to be the cheapest computer they made was $1,500 to $1,600, but today you can get an entry-level Apple laptop for $800.”

Landlord Central Park Place was represented in the lease deal by Brad Saville, president of Landmark Commercial Real Estate, and Christian Ablah of Classic Real Estate.

Ribbit was represented by Bradley Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons.

Saville said the strip mall, which opened on Feb. 15, has been a success thus far, with restaurants ahead of projections.

The new store leaves Harb one short of his goal to saturate Wichita.

“I’m thinking that we’ll look at the 47th and Broadway area, but before there we’re going to start our Hutchinson project,” he said.

Harb has targeted several Kansas cities at or near 20,000 population, including Hutchinson, Salina, Garden City and Dodge City.

“We want to get in all of them because we’ll be able to provide them something they’re missing,” he said. “None of the bigger stores want to go there, but we will. We don’t want to be Super Walmart. We just want to have our stores.”

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/25/1240342/ribbit-plans-stores-outside-wichita.html#ixzz0jabpsnmh

Ribbit Computer owner negotiating lease for fifth Wichita store location

Alex Harb is negotiating with two west Wichita leasing agents to open his fifth Ribbit Computer store.

“I prefer one site over the other,” Harb says.

He has signed a letter of intent with The Shops at Chadsworth, 2556 N. Maize Road, to take possession of a 1,625-square-foot space, says leasing agent Curt Robertson of Insite Real Estate Group.

The Shops of Chadsworth feature a Baskin Robbins ice cream store and a Cox Communications retail store. Robertson confirmed Ribbit Computers is one of two companies that has a letter of intent for the space. And he says another company is interested in the same site.

Ribbit to open new store on Rock Road

Ribbit Computers is moving its oldest Wichita location to Kellogg and Rock Road.

The 4-year-old computer company has outgrown its first store at Lincoln and Woodlawn and will open a 5,000-square-foot location at 438 S. Rock Road in the second half of May, owner Alex Harb said.

The move is part of Harb’s philosophy: Bring express computer service, sales and installation to demand centers in the greater Wichita area. Harb thinks the Kellogg and Rock store could add as much as $3 million in annual sales to Ribbit’s bottom line.

“We need a store that can handle traffic from Andover, Augusta and Derby, the south and east Wichita suburbs,” Harb said.

“Woodlawn is a little bit too close to our downtown location. We’ll go from 2,000 square feet down there to a 4,000-square-foot showroom at Kellogg and Rock.”

The relocated store will include the staples of Harb’s business model: Dell and Macintosh computers, Verizon Wireless mobile phones and Internet products and a full-service, one-day computer repair department.

He expects to add about seven employees to the 37 that staff Ribbit’s Wichita locations, including the company headquarters at Douglas and Washington, Maple and West Street and K-96 and Rock Road.

Ribbit also includes a business computing service division, IT Group, formed in 2007.

A Conversation With Alex Harb

Alex Harb grins and leans forward in his chair, buried in the back room of the Ribbit Computers headquarters at Douglas and Washington.

There’s no economic hand-wringing allowed in Harb’s four-store computer supply and repair chain in Wichita, just debate about what will drive the company’s next two stores that are coming soon to 21st and Maize Road and 71st South and Rock Road in Derby.

Harb, who founded Ribbit in 2005, doesn’t harbor any worry about expanding too fast in a slowing economy.

“We’re always going after it,” he said, chuckling. “My theory is that it doesn’t matter what happens, because it could always be a lot worse.

“America is still the number one opportunity place in the world, and you’re not scared to take risks here. Scared money doesn’t make money.”

Talk about the business model that’s driving your expansion.

“Usually, a business owner has more knowledge about the business than anyone else. As a business owner, I can work like four employees. I can do several things in the business and still manage the business.

“The key is being present 24-7 and being able to save money and labor by doing stuff yourself.

“That way, you know that it’s being done your way and efficiently because of your experience. You have the know-how about everything, so do things yourself and eliminate the margin of error, eliminate labor costs.

“I’m not one of those people who’s going to become an absentee owner.”

What is your niche in the Wichita computer market?

“What allows us to continue and grow in business in this market is our service in the local market.

“Local businesses save a lot of money dealing with us because we’re a lot cheaper than the brand-name computer stores, plus we provide faster service.

“When the economy’s not doing great, like now, local businesses save more money through us than through bigger companies or nationwide companies.”

Is your business suffering as the economy slows?

“It’s still doing well. We’re still increasing our business every month because we’re focused on what we need to do.

“We focus on eliminating unnecessary expenses and focus on the expenses that directly help our business.

“And customer service.”

Talk about your philosophy of customer service.

“We’re constantly talking to our staff to find out what the customer needs.

“If we find ourselves stuck with something our customers aren’t interested in, we right away eliminate it.

“It comes down to this: If you have the product in and a customer ready to buy, you’ll sell it. If you don’t have the product they want, you’ve lost their business.”

What’s the fastest-growing segment of your business?

“We’re constantly improving our business customer base. And this downtown location helps us quite a bit getting exposure to businesses.

“We’re doing more of the business project, more camera systems, IT projects, point of sale software for restaurants, liquor stores and gas stations.

“It’s grown into a pretty solid business customer base helping us continue to build our margins.”

You’ve also diversified the product line, into Mac computers and now Alltel wireless equipment and services. Why?

“Our local market has its own special qualities with the customer base and products.

“With Alltel, we’ve had a bunch of customers request the air card to go with their laptops.

” (Air cards) are absolutely a serious competitor to Cox and AT&T. I’d estimate that 80 percent of customers within five years will be using air cards.”

Why 21st and Maize, and Derby?

“When you have 50 or 60 different businesses going to the Derby Marketplace at 71st and Rock, you’ve got all those businesses needing IT services.

“And you’ve got business owners and employees needing help with computers and houses. Derby will do very well with that.

“At 21st, it’s the same principle. There are lots of businesses and lots of homes going up.

“Plus, it’s quite a bit of distance from our Maple and West store to 21st and Maize, so I’m confident we’ll be able to serve more customers.”

Any parting advice for fellow entrepreneurs?

“Watch your numbers.”

Reach Bill Wilson at 316-268-6290 or bwilson@wichitaeagle.com.

Good Advice: How do you manage conflict in the workplace?

Alex Harb, Owner, Ribbit Computers

“The best way of dealing with conflict is to try to relate everything you do and every policy you put together for the benefit of the business rather than the benefit of yourself or certain individuals, as well making it clear to everyone how it benefits the workplace and therefore benefits them. Don’t want to waste time trying to change people’s bad habits but rather convince people how important it is to leave personal problems outside the door and follow company policies and procedures, by providing examples and showing proven results.

Whenever a conflict arises between co-workers, you should solve that by relating to the company policies without making exceptions.”

Ribbit Computers comes downtown

Alex Harb’s 3-year-old computer company is growing again. Ribbit Computers is moving into business computing, opening a store in about three weeks at 921 E. Douglas to serve downtown businesses.

The downtown store, the company’s fourth, will offer name-brand and custom-built computer systems, software and repair for consumers and small and medium business. Harb also has added Macintosh desktop and laptop sales and repair.

Much of that business work will be funneled through a year-old Ribbit division, the IT Group.

“We’re downtown because we want to serve more businesses downtown,” Harb said.

“Wichita is a great, great place to do business. People are very friendly and supportive to local businesses.”

The 6,000-square-foot building will have about 2,000 square feet for sales and repair and about 4,000 square feet of warehouse space.

It will employ about 15 people, driving Ribbit’s total payroll to about 55, and will house Harb’s office.

Everything from point-of-sale management software such as Restaurant Manager to quick-repair turnarounds will be available, Harb said.

“Business people’s time is valuable,” he said. “They don’t have time to wait, so we shoot for a day’s turnaround on all repairs.”

But custom-built systems –Ribbit’s built about 250,000 computers since opening in 2005 — and the latest in name-brand PC and Mac equipment will be for sale.

Richard Haddock, president of Wichita-based Haddock Corp., said the Mac market remains good.

“We’ve been here for 30 years, and any competition is good,” he said.

Harb is undaunted by the recent national economic downturn, saying he’s confident that Ribbit systems will save business clients money.

And a Wichita State marketing professor said his timing may be right.

“I’m not convinced Wichita’s in an economic downturn,” said WSU professor Cindy Claycomb.

“But, downturns can be a good time to jump ahead. If his strategy and planning are on target… downturns don’t mean that people and companies aren’t going to start buying. IT makes a business more efficient.”

Harb, 27, founded Ribbit in 2004. Sales in 2007 were estimated at $7 million.

Other stores are located at K-96 and Rock Road, Maple and West Street and Lincoln and Woodlawn. Plans are in the works for a fifth store at 21st and Maize Road, Harb said.

The company also operates a build-to-suit computer warehouse at 810 N. Main.

CompUSA to close or sell all stores

Alex Harb thinks he could gain more business because of CompUSA’s plans to sell or close all 103 of its retail stores in the U.S. Harb, owner of Ribbit Computers, said Monday he could gain more retail customers if the CompUSA store at 3665 N. Rock Road closes, especially since Ribbit’s newest store is just a few hundred feet away.

“It’s a good thing for the Wichita market because it’s going to help local businesses like ours grow more.”

Late Friday, Dallas-based CompUSA said that it had been acquired by an affiliate of Gordon Bros. Group, a Boston-based restructuring and investment firm.

The Gordon unit plans to “initiate an orderly wind-down of CompUSA’s retail store operations,” the companies said in a news release.

Gordon plans to keep all of the CompUSA stores operating through the holidays, offering “attractive bargains” on the products it sells.

Some stores — those in “key markets” — could be sold, in addition to two other CompUSA operations: its technical service business called CompUSA TechPro and its Internet sales operation.

Stores that it can’t sell will be closed.

The privately held companies did not say which stores would be sold or closed.

Earlier this year, CompUSA said it would close 126 stores, including one in Overland Park. That left the retailer’s Wichita store as its sole Kansas location.

CompUSA was founded in 1984 as Soft Warehouse, a Dallas-based software retailer.

In 1999, it was purchased by Mexican financier Carlos Slim Helo’s Grupo Carso SA. CompUSA has struggled financially in recent years and in February received a $440 million cash infusion and announced a new strategy to turn around its slumping computer and electronics sales.

The strategy was to focus largely on tech enthusiasts, educated professionals and small and medium-size businesses.

In Wichita, it’s unclear what the full affect will be of Gordon Bros.’ plans.

Mindscapes Academy, 10234 W. 13th St., said last month that it had reached agreement to display and sell CompUSA products, as well as offer training and support for CompUSA customers.

Messages left for Mindscapes officials on Monday were not returned.

Ribbit Computers leases site downtown

Alex Harb wants to saturate Wichita with custom-built desktop computers sporting his trademark frog logo. Harb’s Ribbit Computers has leased space downtown for a computer assembly line and an IT team, six weeks after announcing plans for a third Wichita store.

Ribbit’s warehouse at 810 N. Main in the 1-Main Street office complex will be up and running “as soon as possible,” he said, with seven technicians custom-building computers for individuals and business clients.

It’s part of a business model tweak, Harb said, that will centralize the company’s parts inventory downtown and downsize its three retail locations, which will still offer new and reconditioned computers.

Harb also plans to launch an IT team in August — with 40 technicians in the next three years — to provide a wide array of business services, from computers to point-of-sale systems.

The build-to-suit program will utilize kiosks in the company’s three stores — 843 S. Woodlawn, 240 S. West St. and 3433 N. Rock Road — where customers, with Ribbit employees’ help, can build a custom computer instead of buying a pre-configured unit.

“Some processors, for example, have a three-year warranty. Others five. This way, we don’t sell extended warranties,” Harb said. “You just buy the parts and warranties you want.”

The custom solutions market is rapidly growing and evolving, said Shadi Marcos, account manager at Cybertron, a 10-year-old national build-to-suit company in Wichita.

So much so, he said, that in Wichita, some computer builders have become “nichey,” succeeding as specialists for doctors and restaurants.

“I can’t think of a sector who can’t use this service, from individuals to businesses,” he said.

The expansion is part of Harb’s basic philosophy: Eliminate the lag time for custom computers and service.

“We’ve had a lot of customers at Cessna and Boeing that need specialized computers to run the programs they need for airplane building,” he said. “Hard to buy a brand-name computer for that because of the graphics needed for high performance use.”

Centralizing the company’s parts inventory is the foundation of Harb’s plan to blanket Wichita with more stores. Derby and 21st and Maize Road are other future targets.

“We’re supplying three stores right now and eventually we want to be all over town,” he said.

“That gives us the chance to downsize our stores to about 2,000 or 2,500 square feet, but we won’t have the backstock. This way, we can distribute inventory as needed to the stores on a daily basis.”

Bradley Tidemann and Pat Ritchie of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the 810 N. Main lease.

Ribbit Computer filling void left by Powergistic’s demise

One Wichita computer company is expanding while a piece of note paper taped to a door of an empty building, its message washed away by the rain, marks the demise of another. Ribbit Computers LLC will open its third retail location at 3433 N. Rock Road in July, and recently opened a warehouse at 810 N. Main. The warehouse will supply Ribbit’s three stores and serve as an assembly center for custom-built computers sold to the company’s business customers.

Meanwhile the owners of the building at 818 E. Orme are looking for a new tenant to replace Powergistic Systems Inc., which recently closed its doors. Powergistic moved into the 28,000-square-foot building in 2004 with 21 employees to custom build its line of laptops, personal computers and servers.
Heading north

Ribbit’s new 2,500-square-foot store on North Rock Road will feature a kiosk allowing retail and business customers to customize specifications for a computer that Ribbit will build. The specifications for the computers, known as “white boxes,” are transmitted to the assembly operation at the company’s warehouse.

Alex Harb, Ribbit’s owner, expects the new location plus the assembly business will push Ribbit to more than $6 million in annual sales for 2007. The company has 33 employees and is hiring at least six more for the new store.

Alex Harb, owner of Ribbit Computers, is preparing to open the company’s third retail location in July. He’s projecting the new store will push total 2007 sales to $6 million.

He plans to spend $85,000 remodeling the space. Vance Construction Inc. is doing the remodeling. Bradley Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons Inc. helped find the space and handled the lease.

The goal is to setup and deliver a computer within 24 hours, says Alex Harb, Ribbit’s owner, especially for business customers that make up 40 percent of the company’s sales.

“When they need it, they need it right now. This is not something they are shopping around for,” Harb says.

Ribbit’s effort to grow its custom-built business comes at a time when Powergistic Systems closed its operations.

Powergistic was created by a 2004 merger of National Computer Resource Inc. and Atronex Technologies Inc., both founded and owned by David Williamson. Those companies had combined to win a total of seven Metro Awards as two of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the Wichita area. Williamson declined to comment on the issues that prompted him to close the business.
Controlling growth

Another Wichita white-box PC builder recorded 35 percent sales growth in 2006 after an initial period where sales grew at 50 percent a year, says Ahmed Aziz, CEO of Cybertron International Inc. Aziz founded Cybertron with Emad Mekhail and Shadi Marcos. The company builds Cybertron-branded PCs and focuses on retail, business and school customers.

“Over the past 10 years in business, we have learned that rapid growth must be dealt with very delicately,” Aziz says. “It’s a lot easier to grow in the short term than to maintain a solid and profitable position at each growth level.”

Harb says he’s controlling his growth to avoid problems that led to the demise of local computer companies such as Powergistic and Christian Dimension, a Metro Award winner that closed its doors in 2006.

“My team is what’s going to keep me going,” he says. “I can want to do a lot of things, but if I don’t have the right team to do it, I will fail. … I believe in what I’m doing.”

Cybertron’s founders admire Harb’s drive.

“Alex is a young and aggressive entrepreneur,” says Marcos, Cybertron’s president. “He sees an opportunity for growth and he is willing to take big risks. We wish him the best.”

Ribbit Computers LLC
New location: 3433 N. Rock Road, Suite 105, Wichita, Kan., 67226.
Opening: July 2007.
Owner: Alex Harb.

Ribbit Computers Branches Out

People need their computers repaired the same way they need their cars fixed: in a hurry. It’s an idea that’s been a master stroke for Alex Harb, who is opening Ribbit Computers’ third Wichita store later this spring at 3433 N. Rock Road. Harb, who graduated from Wichita State University with a computer science degree in 2004, has a simple business model — eliminate the lag time for made-to-order computers and computer repair by blanketing Wichita with his express service, much like an auto repair shop.

Simple, but effective. Ribbit did $70,000 in sales in the first six months after its December 2004 opening. It has done $1.7 million in the first four months of 2007.

“I thought this town needed a store that could repair a computer and get it back that day,” Harb said.

Today, he sells new and used desktops and laptops and has a staff of 27 technicians to turn around repairs and special builds. Ribbit stocks more than a half-million dollars in computer parts.

Express service is where the industry has been headed for years, said Matt Whitfield, owner of Nexus Digital Solutions in Wichita, another computer repair-and-build service.

“Occasionally, you can run into a customer who can wait a week or so, but most of our clients need their computers back (the) same day,” he said.

“We’ve been moving this way for years, but I’d say the customer demand for quick turnaround has increased tenfold over the last five years.”

Harb’s new east store will employ between six and eight people, offering the same express repair and sales services.

And there are more stores in the works in Derby and at 21st and Maize Road, he said, if the financials work.

Harb, a native of Lebanon, didn’t take business classes at Wichita State. He didn’t have to, since he grew up around his father’s wholesale grocery business in Beirut.

“My mother’s goal was for me to have weekends off, to have a regular life, but I’m more like my father,” he said. “24/7. You find your passion and work at it.”

That’s a quality that entrepreneurship instructors try to teach at WSU, said Tim Pett, director of the college’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

“We do a feasibility class that’s exactly that,” he said. “Match what you love to do with what the market demands.”

And then never be satisfied, Harb said.

“I never thought this would happen,” he said. “I can sit back and be proud. But you can’t be satisfied because this business is a day-to-day thing.”