BUCYRUS — A new computer business in Bucyrus is taking off, with plans to open a storefront downtown in the coming weeks.
Bill’s Computers, which is owned by longtime resident Bill Dunford, will be moving to a new location at 724 N. Sandusky Ave. Dunford has been operating out of his home since he started the company in January 2017.
“I’ll finally have a storefront, a sign, a billboard on Rt. 30 near Walmart. Business has definitely increased,” said Dunford, a Bucyrus native who brings to the table a lengthy career in IT, both in this country and abroad.
Dunford specializes in servers, networking, workstations and software upgrades for small businesses, as well as repairs for clients at home who might also need personal files backed up or anti-virus software installed on their desktops or laptops.
Bill’s Computers offers pick-ups and deliveries onsite, including some evenings, and guarantees low prices on all installations and repairs. In the last three years, Dunford said, he has never had to exchange or replace any parts for customers he has serviced.
Dunford, who worked full-time at the Timken Company back in the 1990s, always tinkered with computers. He earned a degree in computer science from NC State and DeVry University and for a while had a sideline job with Micro Universe.
From 2001 to 2004 he was a traveling service technician for Dell Computers based in the Columbus market. Then he accepted an IT position at Bucyrus Community Hospital, where he also completed training in the biomedical engineering field.
In 2009, Dunford went to work for Welch Allyn, a leading manufacturer of medical diagnostic equipment, and racked up numerous certifications in computer science and Wi-Fi. His team was responsible for all the installations in North America.
Dunford was eventually promoted to an international position with the company and even worked briefly in Africa.
“I loved it. All the IT and all the work before,” Dunford said. “This is not work at all for me. It’s a seven-day hobby. I’m so busy.”
Dunford has already hired one service technician to help with the increased workload, as well as two employees to run the new office. Plans, he said, are to hire an additional technician to concentrate on home computer and printer repairs.
For now, Dunford is busy remodeling and setting up the new location in preparation for a grand opening on April 5. The business will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and evenings by appointment.