Bellingham repair shop FiXCO recognized for helping community

If you live in Bellingham, Washington and have experienced a tech crisis like dropping your phone in water or cracking your computer screen, it’s likely that Mitch Kramer has fixed your device. The local electronic repair shop, FiXCO, was recently selected as one of three finalists for Bellingham’s 2024 Small Business of the Year award. Mitch Kramer started FiXCO out of his bedroom in 2012 and has been running the successful repair business ever since. 

Mitch was honored to hear that his business received a record number of nominations for this award from the community. The hundreds of positive reviews on FiXCO’s website and their strong reputation reflects their number one priority: “providing stellar customer service.” Mitch attributed the nomination to his loyal customers and his dedicated team, which he brought on just a year ago after running the business on his own for 11 years. “This wouldn’t have been possible without my team,” he said.

Ever since he was little, Mitch has always loved tinkering with things and trying to understand how they work. Now that he runs a business in electronic repairs, he said the most rewarding part is helping his community. This is evident through the stories he relayed of helping countless customers in need. One such story was of a mother who came into his shop in tears because her phone screen had broken and she wasn’t able to contact her four kids. Mitch was able to fix her phone in 20 minutes and reconnect the family. He’s fixed thousands of devices, all with a personal story attached. His demographic? “Anyone with a heartbeat.” 

Unfortunately, this type of stellar customer service is becoming a rarity in the repair business. FiXCO is the last independent phone and computer repair shop in Bellingham. Since opening in 2012, Mitch has watched 13 other repair shops like his open and close. “It’s very difficult to be successful in this industry, especially over the last decade, due to manufacturers putting up numerous roadblocks when it comes to repairing things.”

Companies don’t make things like they used to, and that’s a big problem. Not long ago, most consumer goods and electronic products were easily repaired with parts that were widely available. But more and more, manufacturers of electronic devices have implemented various legal, digital and physical barriers that prevent consumers from doing their own repairs or using independent repair shops like FiXCO.

The result is a massive amount of waste — in fact, electronic waste is now the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Americans purchase about 160 million new smartphones each year — a habit that takes some 23.7 million tons of raw material to satisfy. Continuing to extract, produce and consume electronics at this rate is simply not sustainable. 

That’s why Mitch has been working to help pass a Right to Repair law in Washington state, which would require manufacturers of personal electronics to provide consumers and independent repairers with access to the necessary parts, physical and software tools, and information at a fair and reasonable price. By fixing our laws, we can make it easier to fix our stuff. That’s good for consumers, small businesses, and the planet.

To help support small businesses like FiXCO, you can sign our petition telling your legislators that you want the Right to Repair in Washington.