On Friday, computer and electronics retailer CompUSA announced that it would start closing its retail locations after being acquired by an investment firm. Gordon Brothers Group LLC, the firm that purchased the chain, stated that it is looking to sell CompUSA's business and assets such as its Internet retail unit and technical support services.

According to Macworld News, CompUSA has released a statement citing that the retail locations that don't sell will be shut down. 103 locations will remain open during the holiday shopping season and provide heavy discounts on remaining products.

Despite being a retail and electronics mainstay for more than a decade, CompUSA came under financial troupes through its parent company, Mexico-based holding company US Commercial Corp. SA de CV.

During the third quarter of 2007, CompUSA reported a loss of 494.89 Mexican pesos (US$45.7 million). The company had also reported losses during the previous two fiscal years.

In February, CompUSA announced that it would close 126 locations as part of a massive restructuring effort in exchange for a US$400 million cash infusion it had received from an unnamed investor.

Carlos Slim Helu, the chairman of Grupo Carso, which holds a majority stake in US Commercial Corp. SA de CV, was interested in selling his share in CompUSA when the retailer came upon hard times, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly approached rivals Circuit City Stores, Micro Electronics and Systemax to take over the chain and its operations, but no agreement was reached.

Slim Helu, who also operates retail businesses in Latin America, poured about US$2 billion into CompUSA since 1999. Slim Helu also held a 9.2% stake in Circuit City, but sold off his share after an unsolicited bid to acquire the company was rejected by Circuit City's board of directors.

Honestly, I'll miss them. Granted, I once overheard one of their sales reps telling a customer they could download RAM to their machine, but this was back in the 90's and the Internet was still new.

But I'll still miss them.

Let us know what you think over in the comments or forums.