Independent computer-repair shops are usually pretty dreary places. Even with the Geek Squad campaign that elevates PC nerds to lovable heroes, I’ve found the smaller independent “screwdriver shops” to be pretty good at repairs and data recovery, but not at all good at store layout. Not that they necessarily need to be attractive, but it wouldn’t hurt, either.

I mention all this because I just visited a fairly new addition to this market, Data Doctors. Their new shop in Vista, California, stands out from the pack, starting with the signage. It’s bold and bright, and immediately tells you what kind of place this is. Inside the store are large, great-looking wall hangings that reinforce the message. One graphic is of a toaster popping up CD disks, with the headline “Is your data toast? We’ll recover it.”

The store is clean and inviting, with modern cabinetry and just a long counter for the geek on duty. Behind that are panels shielding the actual repair area, which we probably wouldn’t want to look at anyway, so long as the work gets done properly.

If anything, I think the place looks a little too sparse in front. No chairs, no magazines, nothing that makes a customer want to stick around. Now that in itself might be a good way to keep naggy non-geeks from lingering. But I think a few items of merchandise and chairs would lend a homier touch — and a reason to check out all the graphics. There were so many, I didn’t have time to check them all out.

Data Doctors is a small chain that seems to be growing fast. They didn’t pop up on the first page of Google searches for “computer repair” and “data recovery.” I hope they have smart marketers who will remedy that situation. I think Data Doctors is on track for success with a winning prescription of graphics and design. And with a little more self-medication, they might give the Geek Squad a run for their money.