New option available on Franklin Street for Apple repairs

Students deterred by the price of MacBook repairs at the RAM Shop in Student Stores might have a cheaper option off campus.

On Monday, Sean Gartland, a UNC senior and former ITS employee, opened up his own Apple service center on Franklin Street. And Gartland said his rates are much cheaper than the RAM Shop’s.

Located above East End Oyster & Martini Bar on Franklin Street, Gartland’s store, iCan Fix It, shares a space with a tattoo parlor.

“We’re just really trying to get it out now — our parts are top of the line, we’re convenient and we’re competitive with pricing,” Gartland said.

“I try to have lower prices by 20 to 30 percent,” Gartland added.

The RAM Shop is the primary on-campus option for students to repair their computers that are not purchased through the Carolina Computing Initiative.

Before opening iCan Fix It, Gartland spent two and a half years working for ITS, he said.

His store provides more than just laptop repairs — the main service is phone repairs, largely fixing cracked screens.

The RAM Shop does not service phones, but instead sends broken phones to Apple, which then offers its standard prices.

“Having worked at ITS for so long, I realized how much more lucrative the mobile market is,” Gartland said.

He said he faces no mobile service repair competition in the local community.

“I believe we are the only legitimate business offering these services in Chapel Hill, definitely on Franklin Street,” Gartland said.

Gartland added that his goal is not to draw business away from the RAM Shop, but to give students a different choice that offers reasonable prices.

But the introduction of Macs to the CCI program has significantly increased the RAM Shop’s business, said Lee Merritt, tech support specialist at the RAM Shop.

“We’re swamped right now. Our business has continued to rise over the past two years,” Merritt said.

The RAM Shop is increasing its staff size to manage this increase in traffic, and Merritt said he wasn’t concerned about competition.

At the RAM Shop, a hard drive replacement will cost roughly $250 to $300. But Gartland said he will charge $90 to $200 for the same replacement.

A 13-inch laptop screen replacement at the RAM Shop would cost about $600, and a 15-inch replacement would cost $700 to $800.

At iCan Fix It, each would cost $560 and $625, respectively, Gartland said.

Junior Amir Vig said if he was in need of a phone repair, he would go to iCan Fix It over the RAM Shop.

“I would choose the lowest available price,” he said.

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