The Pod Drop is starting to pop up in Detroit greater downtown area this year. The fix-it store for iPods, iPads, and iPhones opened a location in New Center earlier this year and is aiming to open another in the Detroit’s central business district before the end of the year.
"We want to grow in Detroit's downtown area," says R. Carter, founder of
The Pod Drop. "It's booming."
Carter started The Pod Drop from his basement in 2006. The company now has 12 locations across Metro Detroit that work in a franchise-like business model. Each location employees 3-4 people and is independently owned. Each owner pays Carter a royalty to use the brand and other services associated with the company.
The Pod Drop opened up
a location in New Center One last winter, where it currently employs three people. It takes care of walk-in customers (think people with a cracked iPhone screen) and does a lot of work with some major downtown institutions like
Henry Ford Health System.
"We have a lot of work we do with hospitals, Dan Gilbert's team at Quicken Loans, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan," Carter says. "We're down here to take care of the big fish."
That's why the company is looking at opening another location downtown to be closer to the likes of the Quicken Loans family of companies. The Pod Drop is not only looking for a space to lease, but a new owner to head up the facility.
Source: R. Carter, founder of The Pod Drop
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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