notANON

I like to check in on the local computer recyclers from time to time. Seattle actually has a lot of these little places hidden around the area and they are always bursting at the seams with piles of old computer parts.  I’m usually after the retro and more obscure stuff but sometimes I find things that are useful on my MacBook Pro too.  Here is the list in no particular order.

RE-PC Tukwilla – This was Bruno’s in the 1990’s.  The Tukwilla branch of RE-PC has a small section of wall devoted to retro hardware for sale and at very fair prices. I saw an Apple IIe there the other day for $30 and a Commodore Vic 20 for $20, both of which I thought were good deals.

RE-PC Seattle – This was a PC Fixx back in the 1990’s. These days, they have a gigantic warehouse with tons of stuff. Some of it is priced very well and some is a bit high but this store also has a great retro computer museum. The best publicly displayed collection of retro computers in Seattle to my knowledge. Everything from an Apple Lisa to an 8-bit ISA Soundblaster.

Computer Surplus Redmond – This is a great little store with super-friendly owners.  They have a perfect mix of new and old items.  They don’t really save or sell retro hardware since they haven’t seen a huge interest.  (Seems to be a trend)  Might be worth popping into the Redmond Value Village which is half a block down while you are at it.  These guys are more than a typical recycler.  If I weren’t a computer guy, I would take my computer to these guys for service.

PC Recycle Bellevue – This is a small, cramped store but almost always has something worth buying. They have a great selection of cables, drives and random parts such as ATX shields and usb dongles. The window display of this store is ALL retro hardware and software. If they feel like it, they will entertain offers on the window items. That is where I scored my IBM PC XT.

PC Recycle Lynnwood – This store is very cluttered and crowded with incoming piles of computer hardware.  They don’t have any retro hardware here so I probably won’t go back anytime soon but the guy that runs it is friendly and knowledgable.  If you are in the Lynnwood area, this store is probably worth a look.

3R Technology – I’m guessing the 3 R’s are reduce reuse and recycle.  This store is hard to find and deceiving.  It’s on the opposite side of the building that it’s addressed from next to some train tracks.  They seem to have a very high turnover of inventory and a friendly staff.  When you walk into the store, the front room is fairly small but then it opens up to a warehouse in back and you’ll see stacks upon stacks of various parts.  I think I saw a whole pallet of power supplies there once.  These guys are much friendlier than you would expect and they seem to enjoy visitors to their obscure location.

Seattle Goodwill – Not a pure computer recycler but it’s the absolute largest Goodwill I’ve ever seen anywhere and from time to time they will have a good selection of routers, printers and other computer-related items. I haven’t seen full systems there for years but it’s still worth a visit if you are in the area.  Every morning at 10am there is a bum rush of people cramming into the door and b-lining for the electronics and collectibles section of the store.  These are typically eBay poachers which I find fairly irritating but on the other hand, they generally aren’t looking for the same stuff that I am looking for.  In Goodwill locations around here, items are placed on the shelf with a dated, colored price tag, within the month, every color of price tag goes on sale for 50% off.  If the item does sell in a month, it gets sent the Goodwill Outlet Store where it is sold by the pound with exception of  books which are sold for $0.50 each.

Bellevue Goodwill – This is the closest Goodwill to Microsoft so a lot of Microsoft employees donate stuff here.  They tend to have one of the largest and best selections of used tech books that I can think of.  Like Seattle Goodwill, their turnover is fairly high so you never know what you will find here.

Free Geek Seattle – This store is not open yet but they are coming soon.  I’ve been to the Free Geek in Portland and in Vancouver B.C. and I can’t say they have much there for me but if you are low on cash and you need a computer, you can go volunteer at Free Geek and earn a computer.  Vancouver did have a Mac Plus with an external 20mb hard drive and a case for $50 which I thought was reasonable.

That’s my small list.  If you know of any great computer recyclers in the area that I missed, please post in the comments and I’ll get them added.