It was a little more than a decade ago that Bret Towe, 33, took a look around Hawthorne, and decided the needs of the community matched his skill set

Bret Towe, left, and his brother Bart, right, in front of their business on 10th Street in Hawthorne. Towe Computer Repair has been in business in Hawthorne for about a decade. (C.W Wilkinson photo)

It was a little more than a decade ago that Bret Towe, 33, took a look around Hawthorne, and decided the needs of the community matched his skill set, and opened a computer repair shop on 10th Street.

“I just happen to be good at computers, so I was looking for something to do and decided we’ll give it a go,” he said. “And it seems to be working out so far.”

About a year ago, his brother Bart, 27, was also “looking for something to do” and the brothers went into business together.

Bret Towe said the key to his success is lack of competition, and the brothers’ ability to fix nearly any problem with which they’re confronted.

The brothers will take on nearly any repair job, from tablets to an old stereo.

“We try to be as well rounded as possible,” Bart said. “[…] if somebody comes in with something we’ve never fixed before we’ll be honest with them and say ‘We might not be able to, but we’re more than willing to give anything a shot if we think it’s within our range.’”

The brothers are opposite in manner, though both are tall with dark hair. Bret is quiet and speaks in a choppy cadence; Bart is self assured and more vocal.

Their focus on repairs shows in their workspace. Half assembled computers lie scattered about the workspace, and a black metal shelf in the corner of the one-room space holds a collection of machines awaiting the brothers’ attention.

Honesty is one of the hallmarks of the way the Towes do business. Bart said they do their best to be honest with customers about how long a repair will take, and how expensive it will be.

Some customers bring in machines with such complex problems, they are told the repair will take much longer than expected. Others have problems that will cost more to fix than replacing the device.

“We’ll look at something and say ‘We’ll fix this, but you can probably replace it for a lot less,’” Bret said.

The brothers are hoping to expand their business as well.

Bart said he hopes to expand the retail space in the shop, eventually offering a stock like a Radio Shack, but at Walmart prices.