New Cathlamet business; I Fix Computers

A new local business on Main Street in Cathlamet opened earlier this year. It's called I Fix Computers and provides Wahkiakum County residents with accessible technology assistance. I Fix Computers provides an additional local tech resource to residents, helping them avoid the drive to Longview. Erik Friend is the owner of the new shop. He moved here in February 2011 after finding a Craigslist ad for some land in the small town of Cathlamet, where he currently resides with his family. His background in computers and technology began with the big ".com boom" when the Web was in its infancy, "[In the early day of the] internet..." they were snapping up computer savvy people and so I got involved in helping to build the Internet" says Friend. After that, he worked with Paramount Studios for some time, going on to form a start-up with some colleagues where they invented the Junk Mailbox, which was bought by Bill Gates and is used in email boxes today.

Friend's business specializes in Windows computers, software maintenance, virus removal, troubleshooting, and physical repairs. He says "I think the biggest service is making computers faster; computers get slow, people come in [needing help] and I make 'em fast." Friend's business in Wahkiakum began as a small service to neighbors and friends with people finding him through word of mouth. He eventually acquired enough clientele that he needed to find an office space to keep up, which led him to open I Fix Computers. In his business, integrity and his relationship with clients are of the utmost importance, "[I] always wanna make things right, to help people, to stand behind my work."