History of Cardinal Computer Corporation
Opened in 1992 by Doug and Donna Burnsides as a "mom and pop" computer store, Cardinal Computer Corporation quickly became known for the friendliness and capability of its staff. Originally located on the square in Cookeville, Cardinal was a mixture of the old and new, selling high-technology new solutions from among the oldest locations in the city.
Though Cardinal faced a lot of competitors in those early days, the company developed a good reputation by offering reliable custom-built computer systems, selling all the components for the do-it-yourself hobbyists, and offering dependable and reasonably priced repair services.
Cardinal continued to grow as a fixture in the Upper Cumberland over the years, eventually expanding to three locations. In June of 2000, the Burnsides decided to pursue other ventures and majority ownership was transferred to two minority-stockholding families (also employees at the store), Mike and Tracy Austin and Art and Alicia Mattson. The company merged all of its operations into our present location on South Walnut Avenue in Cookeville (just behind Outback Steakhouse) in late 2000.
In 2002 Cardinal began offering Dell solutions. The excellent product and support offered by Dell was a perfect match for the foundation Cardinal was built on. The initial offering was one product line of the Dell solution. Cardinal now offers nine lines of Dell configurations with several peripheral, upgrade, and service choices that fit the needs of most home and business customers. In 2006 Cardinal obtained certification in Dell's Warrany Parts Direct program, allowing a local warranty repair option for all Dell systems sold.
Cardinal has become widely known for our reliable repair services, drawing customers from surrounding metro areas like Nashville and Knoxville. By 2006, Cardinal had logged over 10,000 computer repairs completed since service recording began in 2001. As of October 2007, the number has exceeded 16,000.
Cardinal has grown into a company that now employs twelve people from the Upper Cumberland. Cardinal enjoys an excellent, professional staff which reflects so well the quality of the people of this area.
Over the years, Cardinal has been blessed to be able to support the local FOP (Fraternal Order of Police), Tennessee State Troopers Lodge, Make-a-Wish, Mended-Heart, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.), Susan G. Komen for the cure foundation, WCTE Television, Cookeville FFA, Project Graduation, Happy Haven Children's Home, TTU Women's Club, American Red Cross, Lazarus House, Putnam County Rescue Squad, Daniel 1 Academy, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children), Cookeville YMCA, and local fund-raisers for sick or displaced citizens and other opportunities to give back to the community which has placed its trust in us for so long.
Cardinal Computer is also proud to be a sponsor for TTU athletics as well as the local schools' basketball, football, softball, and other programs which foster growth for our children and hometown support for our teams.
In 2006 Cardinal was honored to be nominated for the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, and was named as the 2nd-place finalist. Cardinal has been a member in good standing of the BBB since 2002.
The Austins and Mattsons are now continuing in the traditions started by the original ownership to provide excellent products and excellent service at the sole location in Cookeville, TN. Since 1992, Cardinal may have grown larger than the original idea of a "mom and pop" computer store, but they haven't forgotten the qualities that started the company and have earned the trust of the Upper Cumberland customers to sustain it through the years.
We welcome you to come by and see what makes Cardinal different and let us have the privilege of serving your technology needs.
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