Connellys - 1976 - 2026 - 2nd Decade
- Steve Connelly
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
The 2nd Decade
1. In 1987 – Jenelle upgraded from paper based Bookkeeping to a computerised Accounting software to process customer and supplier accounts. She started out on a Portable Computer so she could take it home as well as work in the office. It was about the size of 10 House bricks and the same weight with a tiny Black and grey screen, with a 40Mb hard Disk and 5 ¼ inch floppy disk drive to install programs and make backups. (This was before we had the Internet available) – SEE PHOTO – we still have this old portable computer in the store. It still powers on, but the Microsoft DOS 4.0 operating system has been removed.
2. During the time at 137 Boorowa Street, technology changes continued and the number of staff increased to include additional sales staff and technical staff.
3. In 1988 Connelly’s relocated for a third time to 217 Boorowa Street Young (next door to the Mut Mut Hut Pizzeria), buying the building and renovating what was Armstrong’s Groccery Shop. (Mr & Mrs Armstrong were still living upstairs well into their 80’s before the sale and they were still using an old Cast iron Stove/oven – that remains in the building to this day because it is too heavy to move) SEE PHOTO
4. At the same time we also added to the building a Storeroom – 10m x 6m wide to fit all the extra stock we were carrying.
5. In 1989 Connellys started selling and supporting Personal Computers and Dot matrix Printers running MS DOS and programs like WordPerfect for word processing and Sage Line 50 for Book keeping and accounting. The original screens were 12-14” CRT Monitors with Green, Orange or Grey text.
6.
In 1990 both of Geoff and Jenelle’s sons Steve and Andrew joined the business. Andrew in the January completing an Electronics trade apprenticeship and Steve in April in a Sales role. It wasn’t long before Steve was into a more technical role setting up and maintaining the Computers and Printers.
7. In 1991 – Connelly’s was a part of getting dial up Internet setup with the first ISP (Internet Service Provider) in the Young region – Clubworld Net offering Dial Up Internet access.
8. In 1992 Connelly’s completed one of their largest furniture projects to date by refitting the South West Slopes County Council offices with custom desking, storage and meeting spaces. (Now Lambing Flat Enterprises offices and Merle’s on Main).
9. In 1993 – Connellys was part of establishing a new Dealer Network of 35 like-minded Photocopier dealers to join forces to create a Sales and Marketing group called Office Network. This was when the Business name changed to CONNELLY’S OFFICE NETWORK.
10. In 1994 – the first Mobile phones - Connelly’s became an Optus Premium dealer and Motorola Service Centre, providing Car & Truck Installations and made up our own portable “Bag” Phones made up from Car Installation kits. To do this we extended the building with a High shed 10 x 6M (to fit Prime Movers in to perform these installations.
11.
1994 was also the time that Andrew left the business to further his career in the I.T. Industry in Canberra.
12. In 1995 Kyocera Laser printers were added to the product range and we were appointed as an Authorised Dealer and Service Centre. Laser printers were the latest and greatest technology , and gradually replaced the Dot Matrix printers in offices.
Missed our first decade? Check it out here
Decade 3 to come.....
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