City Editor Sam here — While casually enjoying a cup of Joe from Piecewise Coffee Co. on Devine Street, I noticed a new sign for a local business, “Gadgetboy.” Naturally, I had to explore the new store.
Upon entering 2822 Devine St., I was welcomed by a large internal mural created by local artist Ija Monet — whose name you may recognize from other works around town. Check out the process of Ija creating the mural inside Gadgetboy. Soon after, I was greeted by Fox Black and Ahmed Robertson, who are the driving forces behind Gadgetboy. Robertson described himself as the “Steve Jobs of Gadgetboy.”
Gadgetboy speaks all things tech, selling and repairing computers, phones, accessories, speakers, gaming consoles, headphones, tablets, and more. It even develops its own Gadgetboy-branded products — think: computer, headphone, and accessory prototypes — and helps with business solutions, dabbling in consultation where you can troubleshoot + employees will teach you about your tech.
As someone who finds tech fairly intimidating, I felt completely at ease within a few minutes. When I commented on how comfortable the tech store felt, Robertson said, “You’re not walking into a Verizon or an Apple Store. This is different and we want it to feel different.” Black then chimed in on how surrounding local businesses along Devine Street, like neighbors Brittons of Columbia + Piecewise, have been welcoming and helpful.
It’s currently open but plans to host a grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 1, and have its website up and running within a few weeks.
