The indie shops that kickstarted computing

Apple knows a thing or two about running successful stores. By letting people play around with the goods, congregate for a natter and ask experts for advice and support, its shops attract large crowds and even encourage some to whip out their credit cards to make a purchase.

When Apple opened its first branch in Tysons, Virginia almost 20 years ago, this approach felt invigorating. Where rivals would keep a beady eye on customers and discourage attempts to touch the products, Apple’s growing number of stores began to feel like welcoming social hubs.

In many ways, they invoked memories of the earlier days of computing. If you rewind to the late 1970s and early 1980s, computer shops were similarly more than just places to buy software and hardware.

They were destinations that allowed enthusiasts to share their passion and form friendships – and they arguably underpinned a fledgling industry by nurturing the talent that would go on to