Tech repair store with area roots opens first DP branch

THE BASICS

uBreakiFix

ADDRESS: The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Suite 96

PHONE: (407) 757-0740

WEBSITE: uBreakiFix.com

DR. PHILLIPS — A personal tech-repair company founded by millennials six years ago in Orlando has grown into a $50 million enterprise with more than 100 stores in North America, the latest of which opened Monday, Aug. 17, in The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Suite 96.

The company, uBreakiFix, has saved Americans $500 million in replacement costs since its inception in summer 2009 and has an average electronics repair cost of $85, according to company data. Its specialty is fixing small electronics, such as smartphones, but game consoles, tablets, computers and other devices are in the company repertoire of repairs. Cracked screens, water damage, camera problems and software issues are among what uBreakiFix handles.

Trevor Wetherill, owner of the Dr. Phillips location, said uBreakiFix wanted to make sure that area had a location closer than 4734 S. Kirkman Road in Southwest Orlando, about three miles away.

“We had the opportunity to open in that plaza and just jumped on it,” Wetherill said. “We think the people of Dr. Phillips have a need for our services in the area. We think it will be great.”

After Wetherill and his team signed their lease in May, they started working to open the store as soon as they could, originally planning to open July 6 before some permitting matters had to be addressed.

“This happens to be the month it has come together,” he said. “As far as the company goes, July has been a great opening month.”

Wetherill and a business partner, Carlos Marmo, had lived in Los Angeles for five years, opening seven stores there. But they missed family in Orlando and started seeking a reason to return, he said.

Corporate officials from uBreakiFix were looking at opening a corporate-operated store in Dr. Phillips when those two were in the area, and they asked Wetherill and Marmo what they thought of running the store in a return to his roots.

“We jumped on that,” he said. “It all happened in around three months. We’re pretty excited, happy to be back.”

Among brands uBreakiFix works with most often, Wetherill said Apple devices would be at the top, with Samsung close behind. Although smartphones are the items uBreakiFix handles most, employees also frequently repair tablets, he said.

“We offer top-notch repairs, extremely fast turnaround times and excellent customer service at uBreakiFix,” Wetherill said. “Our repair team assures the finest quality and the fastest repair time available, whether you have the oldest or newest iPhone or any other gadget.”

For the store’s grand opening, company plans included flooding the area with a team of people handing out free coupons for protective glass for various devices, Wetherill said.

“We’ll be giving them to customers and to locals, just to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood,” he said.

On May 19, uBreakiFix repaired its 1 millionth device. By 2016, the brand expects to have 175 stores across North America, perhaps including more around West Orange County.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].