The new outlet, the company's second in the nation, will operate under the same Web name at 175 Ambassador Drive near Route 59. The first store is at the company's headquarters in Miami.

The 230,000-square-foot facility will house a $40 million inventory of 50,000 computers and related products. They will be sold at its on-site, 12,000-square-foot store.

In recent years, the Chicago market has grown with computer equipment resellers such as Vernon Hills-based CDW Computer Centers and national chain CompUSA.

In fact, CompUSA has a store on Route 59 near the new TigerDirect.com store. CompUSA store manager Sharon Hade declined to comment on the new competitor.

"Our niche is that we help people build their own computers," said Susan Miller, TigerDirect.com's Naperville store manager.

Besides serving as a warehouse, the Naperville facility will be a distribution center when another store opens this fall in Toronto, said Joe Dunne of Miami, chief financial officer for TigerDirect.com.

"We'll continue with our Internet and catalog business," Dunne said. "This megastore is just an added feature to our business."

In addition to Toronto, TigerDirect.com plans to open another megastore this fall in Raleigh, N.C.

For 14 years, TigerDirect.com has been a reseller of name-brand equipment via the Internet and mail order, distributing 2 million catalogs a month.

In 1996, TigerDirect.com was bought by Port Washington, N.Y.- based Systemax, a manufacturer and distributor of PC equipment in North America and Europe. Systemax also owns Global Computer Outlet Store, which operated at the Naperville site.

However, TigerDirect.com takes over the Global store on Saturday where 1,000 customers are expected for the grand opening.

In fact, the first 50 customers who arrive by 10 a.m. will receive a free Microsoft PhotoViewer, a $30 electronic device that allows you to transfer digital photos to your television screen. Free T-shirts and other items also will be given away throughout the day.

In addition, representatives from computer manufacturers and suppliers, such as Proview, D-Link, Pinnacle and Adaptec, will be available to answer questions about their equipment.

TigerDirect.com's Naperville store hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.