KENT, Conn. — There’s reason to celebrate at Kent Computer Services.
The business marks its first anniversary at its storefront, as well as the addition of new services—printing and mailings.
“A lot of the store has changed just in one year,” said owner Jonathan Matson, a Kent native. “About 70 percent is tech, about 30 percent is print.”
Kent Computer Services offers diagnostics, tech education, setup of new devices, PC repair and troubleshooting, Apple repair and troubleshooting, hardware installation, virus removal and operating system repair, data backup or transfer, data recovery, SEO and keyword search, printer setup, home network setup. New this year are printing and mailing services.
“I saw a real market opportunity to have an umbrella, where people can go to one-stop shop,” said Matson, whose company walls are decorated with a combination of photographs by local artists and computer memorabilia and art made from computer parts.
Matson has experienced it all over the past 10 years since he first began building websites at age 16. Business in grew over time but picked up after he donated the website development for the Kent Dispatch a few years ago. “From there, business exploded,” Matson said.
Then, a little more than a year ago, Matson was so sought after for repairs and house calls on weekends (he already had a full-time job at Marvelwood) he saw a new path—opening a storefront.
The business location at 17 Kent Green Blvd. “is just perfect,” according to Matson, who graduated from Champlain College with a degree in computer information and a minor in business administration.
He cited its proximity to businesses and shops, such as Davis IGA, Ace Hardware of Kent, Kent Fabrics and the post office as being beneficial, especially for walk-ins.
Matson said he knew right away that the location “was it” when he toured the space, and he felt connected to it, almost as if were destined. His grandmother, Medora Matson, owned the former Voyage Travel in the same space decades ago.
Merle S. Koblenz of Koblenz & Co. Antique & Estate Jewelry in Kent described Matson as “the boy wonder” and a gem who manages her existing website.
Having found his work and work ethic to be superior, she kidded she is hesitant to say too much because he is that much of a rare find.
“He’s doing everything correctly,” she said of Matson and his business acumen. “He placed himself just right to get people to know him, and to have the storefront gives real credence to his ability. [Clients] can just walk in there and see him any time.”
The third-generation jeweler cited Matson’s “keen eye on the equipment,” understanding of a client’s needs and his ability to manage some computer work remotely.
This spring, Matson hired a part-time employee, George Fink, to assist him, in particular with the printing side of the business on site, including the production of posters up to 24 inches, business cards, flyers, tri-folds, brochures, newsletter, annual appeals and mailings.
The printing of 500 playbills for the 2025 season at Merryall Center was the business’ first print job.
“We all love [Jonathan],” said Merryall President Ellen Corsell. “He’s just brilliant. He knows how to solve problems. If you need to get to A to B and you can’t figure out how to get there, he will.
Corsell related the value of having someone who grew up in town, went away to college, and moved back to open a business. “For us to have a young, entrepreneurial person move to town … what we need in town is young business, young people to come and start a business,” she said.
“He is doing it,” she said. “And he’s smart enough to look around and say, ‘What does Kent need?’”
“He’s the guy,” Corsell said, summing up how Matson has distinguished himself in the community.
Matson said the decision to offer printing services made sense and came to fruition seamlessly. In the past, Kent residents had to travel to neighboring towns such as New Milford to get print jobs done even when an order, for example, might only be for 20 pieces.
While Kent residents appreciate the services offered at Kent Computer Services, customers from other towns have discovered it with clients coming from Sharon, Warren, New Milford and, in New York State, Amenia and Wassaic.
Trailheads in Kent has turned to Kent Computer Services for the printing of inserts for many of its shipped products. “He’s been quite the useful resource when it comes to [printing],” said Gray Donohoe, shipping manager.
“Normally we have to go New Milford, but now, because Jonathan is right in town, I can send him a quick email and say we need [whatever count we need] and he sends me an estimate right away,” Donohoe said. “And he usually delivers ahead of schedule, which is nice.”
“He’s reasonably priced, and the quality is very good,” he said. “He’s become our go-to guy when it comes to shipping needs.”
Matson says he approaches mailings from a different perspective. In a town like Kent where there are many weekenders, he encourages that mailings go to a primary residence so, for example, non-profits’ mailings don’t languish.
The almost immediate success of Kent Computer Services has been surprising, exciting and humbling, according to Matson, who anticipated expanding his business three to five years from his launch last year.
“It really is sense of accomplishment when I get to help people,” Matson said. “People can come to me on their worst day—when the screen is broken, they reformatted their computer and lost everything—and I give people a premium experience.”
“What people want more of is a person who understands, recognizes the urgency, and gives it to them straight,” said Matson, who serves as the chair of communications for Kent Affordable Housing, is a board member at Merryall Center, and is the newly installed president of the Kent Lions Club.
“I reassure people ….[the device] may be down for a couple of days but I’m going to get it up and running,” he said. “It’s humbling that all these businesses have put their trust in me,” Matson said.
On average, up to five walk-ins visit the shop each day, a rate that doesn’t include calls and digital requests. The bulk of services are new device setups and data transfer, and new hardware.
But anything goes in the world of technology with its fast pace.
For more information, visit www.kentcomputerservice.com, or call the 17 Kent Green Blvd. business at 860-245-9681.
