Royal Oak Computers Moving After 35 Years in Downtown Front Royal

After 35 years of doing business on Main Street, Royal Oak Computers is preparing for a change of address — but owner Craig Laird says the longtime Front Royal business isn’t going far.

Royal Oak Computers is relocating from its downtown location to 470 South Commerce Avenue, Unit E, near Mom’s Country Kitchen. Laird said customers can expect the same staff, phone number, and computer services when the move is completed by the end of August.

“We’re not going to be in downtown anymore, but we’re still going to be in Front Royal,” Laird said. “We have the same people, we have the same phone number, we offer the same services. We’re just gonna have a new location.”

The move closes a long chapter for a business that has watched both downtown Front Royal and the computer industry change dramatically.

Royal Oak Computers began in 1991 at the location now occupied by Daily Grind Coffee House. The business later moved into the Murphy Theatre building, where DL’s Coffee Shop is now located. In 2008, during the recession, Royal Oak Computers moved to 203 E. Main St., where it has remained for the past 18 years.

Packing up nearly two decades’ worth of accumulated equipment and supplies has been a project in itself. Laird said items the business no longer needs are being donated to the Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Store.

The new South Commerce Avenue location will also address one longtime challenge of operating downtown: parking.

While leaving Main Street as a computer business owner, Laird remains a supporter of downtown Front Royal. Over the years, he has owned other downtown properties and helped support local businesses and community activities.

He recalled a number of businesses and personalities that have been part of Main Street through the decades, including Foster’s Jewel Box, the Boston Store and McDaniel’s Jewelers.

“There’s been wonderful changes in Main Street,” Laird said. “We look forward to seeing Main Street continue to blossom.”

Laird is also involved with The Vine and Leaf, located in the Royal Plaza, which offers wine, tea, and chocolate, along with food such as paninis, flatbread pizzas, salads, and soup.

His community involvement extends to the Front Royal Independent Business Alliance (FRIBA) and the Festival of Leaves. Laird said this year’s festival, scheduled for Oct. 10, has already filled its available vendor spaces. More than 200 vendors are expected, along with food trucks and three stages featuring music and other entertainment.

While Royal Oak Computers’ address is changing, its basic mission remains much the same: helping local residents and small businesses navigate technology.

The technology itself, however, looks considerably different than it did when Laird entered the field.

Years ago, computer businesses routinely assembled machines from individual components, including cases, power supplies and other hardware. Laird said that is generally no longer necessary because today’s off-the-shelf computers provide more power than many users need.

Royal Oak Computers now spends much of its time servicing existing equipment, recovering data, and helping customers address software problems and online threats.

Microsoft updates can sometimes cause computers to malfunction, Laird said, including situations where users are left looking at a black screen. In some cases, technicians can force an update through and restore the machine.

Data recovery is another common service. Even when a computer will no longer turn on normally, Laird said technicians can often retrieve documents, photographs and other files.

Online scams and malicious software have also become an increasingly common part of computer repair.

“We urge people not to click on things that take you to dialing phone numbers,” Laird said, warning customers to be suspicious of unexpected messages claiming they need to call someone to fix their computers.

The business uses multiple utilities to address computer threats because, Laird said, no single program can protect a user from everything.

Royal Oak Computers also provides services for small businesses, including network management, remote support and monitoring systems designed to identify and block potential threats. The company continues to sell computers, monitors, printers, toner cartridges and other equipment, although it no longer attempts to stock the broad selection of accessories once associated with traditional computer stores.

Instead, Laird works with customers to determine what kind of computer fits their needs before they buy. With prices and specifications varying widely, he said choosing a machine based on how it will actually be used can help customers avoid buying too little — or paying for more computer than they need.

The business also accepts old computers and printers for recycling. Laird said Royal Oak Computers works with a faith-based recycling company to keep discarded electronics out of landfills, and the new location will continue to provide space for that service.

After three and a half decades downtown, Laird acknowledged there is something special about conducting business on Main Street. But he sees the South Commerce Avenue location as the next stage rather than an ending.

Royal Oak Computers will remain a Front Royal business, just a short distance from the downtown where its story began in 1991.

For longtime customers, Laird’s message is simple: the address is changing, but Royal Oak Computers is not.

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