Joe Imel/Daily NewsMark Bitterling is the owner of the Place, 431 Park Row, an authorized Apple reseller.

Each week, the Daily News profiles a locally owned business.

Name of business: The Place (Paragon)

Location: 431 Park Row, Bowling Green

Type of business: Sales and service of computers and consumer electronics.

When did it open? Although Paragon, our parent computer consulting company, has been in business since 1994, we did not open The Place on Fountain Square until April 2005.

Owner: Mark Bitterling.

Number of employees: Four.

Specialty: As the only Apple authorized specialist and Apple authorized service provider in southcentral Kentucky, Macintosh computers, iPods and Apple TV are definitely our specialty, but we do also provide a lot of non-Apple products and services.

How did the business get started? After years of providing service and support for Windows, Linux and other computer systems, I found myself favoring the stability, security and ease of use of the Macintosh platform. Over the years, I have used practically every major computer operating system, but I have found the Mac OS to be the best option available; plus I could run Windows or Linux on the Mac if I wanted to. So in 1997, I personally made the switch and an Apple PowerBook became my primary computer. Although most of our clients continued to use Windows, internally Paragon began utilizing Macs more and more until eventually the only Windows computers in our shop were the ones on the workbench. So we decided that it was time to open an Apple store where everyone else could come in and experience for themselves what makes the Mac better. It took a little while to find the right location, but eventually we found The Place on Park Row and now, more than three years later, here we are.

What is your background? I have been using and learning about computers ever since my first experience with them as a student at Bowling Green Junior High. After majoring in computer science at Western Kentucky University, I went to work as a network specialist at Lexmark International in Lexington before returning to Bowling Green and starting Paragon as a business-to-business computer consulting company. In 1995, Kentucky Info Web Inc. was formed and I started developing Web sites and consulting with businesses on how best to utilize the Internet. Now everything has come together with The Place.

What are your biggest challenges as a business? There are a lot of misconceptions about Macs. For example, people do not realize that Microsoft Word as been running on Macs since before Windows even existed or that the entry level Mac only costs $599. Once customers realize that Macs are compatible with their files and do not have to be expensive, the computers sell themselves.

What’s your business philosophy? We do not jut sell computers, we provide solutions.

What issues are affecting your industry? Vista and viruses are two of the biggest issues facing the computer industry, but fortunately as Mac specialists we do not have to deal with them very often. Seriously though, whereas many computer companies are struggling with various problems, Apple is just getting stronger and growing marketshare.

What are the factors that make your business successful? Customer satisfaction and our willingness to go the extra mile.

How do you handle competition? We have a variety of competitors for various aspects of our business, but since no one else provides all of the products and services that we do, competition is not a major concern. Our certified technicians and sales staff provide a level of product knowledge and expertise that you just simply do not find anywhere else in the area. Plus we stock various unique products that other stores do not.

What is your advice to someone thinking about opening a business? The most important thing for anyone starting a business to know is that a successful business is going to require more time, money and paperwork than you thought, but if you plan well and do not give up too quickly, you can build a business that will last.