Who Is Dawn Owczarzak?

I was a perfect kid growing up in the little town of Hutchinson Minnesota. Ok, maybe I wasn’t “perfect” but I was pretty good (or at least I didn’t get caught) growing up. I had a normal life other then getting lots of snow (you know, the white stuff you see on TV) and I was very active in Volleyball, softball and even snowmobile riding. School was fun for me and I even took computers in high school. I was on the cutting edge of technology even in the early 80’s. It all came to a screeching halt when I met Tom. The first place we went to after we got married was upper New York (and I mean right on the water) to live in an 8’ X 26’ trailer. What a start.

After about 5 years of marriage and traveling around to different parts of the country and even Europe Tom and I decided to settle down and stop moving and Alabama came calling. Tom worked for TVA and I went to work at Olin Mills as a club plan delivery person. It was a great way for me to learn about the surrounding area.

How did I get into computers? Tom wanted a computer badly and I told him NO. So I ended up going to Minnesota for 2 weeks and Tom came up for a week. When I got home there was a computer in our house with a bow wrapped around it. Tom had a friend put it in our house. I refused to touch it for a while. Tom would play a game (Leisure Suit Larry and the Land of the Lounge Lizards) which he had to type. I would watch him and he was SO SLOW typing that he would tell me what to say and I would type. After awhile I got hooked and it was all over then.

Both Tom and I got heavily involved in the computer user group in Decatur and I was very involved in BBS’s (the poor man’s internet). I actually developed the North Alabama BBS guide for this area.

Around 1997 Tom was offered a voluntary retirement from TVA and we contemplated starting a business. Tom was always coming up with business ideas such as: all CD music store (this was before CD’s were big) a donut shop, sign shop and other projects. Since both of us were really into computers we decided to start a computer software and video game store. While we were doing the gaming stuff Tom was doing computer work on the side. Just to let you know, Tom is the one with all the (hair brain?) ideas and I am the voice of reason. There were lots of opportunities that Tom though was “can’t miss” but I nixed most of them. Buying Avanti Computers and Pruitt Office Machines were 2 that got thru.

If you walk into the store I will probably be the first person you see. I also try to do the phone answering if possible. When I first got into this business Tom did all the computer work and I did all the ordering and office manager stuff. Well, after 10+ years doing this I have learned a lot about the computers. It’s always fun seeing people come in and asking for a computer tech and I can tell them that I can help them. You know a “girl” doesn’t know anything about computers, right? More than they realize.

Outside of my computer life (kind of) we have 2 wonderful kids who are into computers also. They don’t show interest in working on them just playing games. I love to play games on Pogo (computer) and love to read. We watch lots of movies and like to beat Tom at cards (he hates that).