Computer Literacy Bookshops
| Company type | Private (1983–1997), Public (1998–2000) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bookstore, Retail |
| Founded | March 1, 1983 in Sunnyvale, California, United States |
| Founder | Dan Doernberg, Rachel Unkefer |
| Fate | Acquired by CBooks Express in 1997; later acquired by Barnes & Noble in 2000; physical stores closed in 2001 |
| Headquarters | Sunnyvale , United States |
Area served | Northern California, Washington DC area (Tysons Corner) |
| Products | Technical books and magazines, electronic documents (later under MightyWords) |
Computer Literacy Bookshops was a regional bookstore chain based in Northern California, primarily offering technical literature. Established in 1983 in Sunnyvale, California, its focus on technology-related publications aligned closely with the needs of the Silicon Valley community.
In 1997, Computer Literacy was purchased by CBooks Express. Following this acquisition, the company went public under the name fatbrain.com, operating both online and through physical retail locations. In 2000, Barnes & Noble acquired fatbrain.com, integrating it into their main operations and closing all brick-and-mortar outlets by the subsequent year.
History
The inaugural Computer Literacy Bookshop opened its doors in March 1983 on Lawrence Expressway between Lakeside Drive and Titan Way in Sunnyvale, California. Founders Dan Doernberg and Rachel Unkefer chose this location strategically within the heart of Silicon Valley, near where Fry's Electronics launched its first store two years later. By 1987, the company expanded with two more stores: one situated on North First Street in San Jose and another within the TechMart complex close to Great America in Santa Clara. The San Jose location was reportedly among the largest bookstores specializing in computer literature nationwide, boasting over 14,000 square feet dedicated to new technical titles.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] The TechMart outlet later moved to Apple's corporate campus at One Infinite Loop in Cupertino.
Beyond selling books and magazines, the stores showcased galley proofs for previewing and editing purposes and hosted events featuring notable authors and engineers such as Gene Amdahl and Donald Knuth.
In 1993, the chain established its sole East Coast branch in the Tysons Corner area near Washington, DC, bringing the total number of physical stores to four. On August 25, 1991, the company secured the domain clbooks.com, enabling worldwide book orders via email. Their UUCP hostname was clb_books.
Acquisition by CBooks Express
In 1995, entrepreneurs Chris MacAskill and Kim Orumchian launched CBooks Express, an online retailer specializing in computer books under the domain cbooks.com. At one point, Computer Literacy Bookshops threatened legal action against CBooks Express over trademark concerns; however, rather than proceeding with litigation, CBooks Express acquired Computer Literacy Bookshops in 1997.[1][2] The merged entity operated as ComputerLiteracy.com and went public in 1998.[3]
Fatbrain
Shortly after its initial public offering, the company adopted the name Fatbrain.com, trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker FATB. This change followed a six-month naming process involving collaboration with branding experts from Interbrand Group. Ultimately, the name proposed by Deborah Bohn, the company's editorial director, was selected. Alongside the rebranding, a new logo featuring an emoticon ({*}) and a fresh slogan were unveiled.
Template:Proper name and MightyWords
In mid-1999, Fatbrain launched a line of electronic documents marketed under the Template:Proper name brand. This digital publishing initiative was later separated into an independent entity known as MightyWords.
Acquisition by Barnes & Noble
In November 2000, Fatbrain.com was purchased and integrated into Barnes & Noble, the prominent bookstore chain. The company’s physical retail locations ceased operations on December 1, 2001, and the domain clbooks.com was discontinued; it is currently managed by an unrelated party.
References
- ↑ Author Unknown, "CBooks Express: A Focus on Digital Lore," The New York Times, April 23, 1998
- ↑ Dale Buss, "Internet World Interview Archived 2006-10-16 at the Wayback Machine," Internet World Magazine, May 15, 2000
- ↑ Author Unknown, "The Inspiring Story Of The Man Behind SmugMug And FatBrain," Mixergy, April 6, 2010
External links
- Web Page from 1996 at the Wayback Machine (archived December 19, 1996)
- Webarchive template wayback links
- Articles with short description
- Defunct retail companies of the United States
- Bookstores in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Companies based in Sunnyvale, California
- Barnes & Noble
- Computer literacy
- Defunct independent bookstores in California
- Bookstores established in the 20th century
- Bookstores disestablished in the 21st century
- 1983 establishments in California
- 2000 disestablishments in California