Elite Computers & Software, a Mac retailer since 1987, has closed five of its California stores, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Owner Thomas Armes blames Apple for the closings, citing problems with new reseller contracts. He also said that Apple delivered new products to its own retail stores before they would ship to him. “We didn’t get as much product as the Apple Stores, and we got it later than the Apple Stores,” Armes says. “If it weren’t for our problems with Apple, there is no way we would have closed.” Elite Computers filed a lawsuit against Apple in March, seeking more than US$5 million in compensation for what it says is breach of contract, unfair competition, false advertising and fraud. The stores that Elite closed, which put 50 people out of work, were in Cupertino, Capitola, Sunnyvale, San Rafael and Berkeley.