By Erika Webb
A young girl took her iPod to Rick Moore for repair. He said when it was fixed the result was, well, music to her ears. Her overjoyed reaction inspired him to call the business Happy Tune'z.
Dawn and Rick Moore work seven days a week, yet they don't seem the least bit harried. They enjoy what they do and maintain the philosophy that their customers' happiness is job one.
With two locations -- Orange City and the Daytona Flea Market -- they are able to service a large geographic area efficiently.
They sell a wide range of electronics, from cell phones to car stereos and even some musical instruments, but repairs are their specialty.
"I think because people are trying to save money in this economy, by trying to get not just phones but iPods, iPads, game stations and computers repaired, it often ends up being cheaper to pay the repair fee, Ms. Moore said. "If it's cheaper to repair it, we'll repair it, but if it's cheaper to buy a new one, we tell them to buy a new one."
"I know if I can save money, I'm good," Ms. Moore added.
It's likely that attitude that won them the Hometown News 2012 Readers' Choice award for Best Cellular Phone Store.
"We have a good working relationship with other businesses, too," Ms. Moore said. "If we don't have it, even in the flea market, we send (customers) to our competitors because we want them to get what they need. Then they come back to us."
The couple started out at the flea market selling high-end jewelry. Another market vendor was selling MP3 players and decided to leave, so the Moores bought her inventory. That venture morphed into what they do today, which is pretty much anything with electronics.
Mr. Moore became certified through Advanced Mobile Device Training I, II and III at CRS Cellular Repair School in Arizona. He said online continuing education classes enable him to "keep up with new products coming out."
The MP3 business gave way to the selling, trading and repairing of more reliable products, such as Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Sony, LG and Nokia.
"Those generic MP3 players break easily and you can't repair them," Ms. Moore said. "We had some returned, couldn't get parts and decided not to sell them anymore."
Parts for products like Apple and Sony are easy to come by.
"You can buy parts for those, so Rick decided to go to that class in Arizona and got all smartened up," she said.
Though the class didn't include sewing machine, carpet cleaner and other machine repair, Mr. Moore has been asked to fix those, too. And he happily obliges.
"We don't turn anything away," Mr. Moore said. "It might take us a little longer (to complete those repairs) but we'll try to fix anything."
Friendship and Lake Forest elementary schools recently have used Happy Tune'z for equipment repairs and Ms. Moore said she would like to encourage other schools to do the same.
"Our business is growing every day," she said. "Even things like the Lotto and soda machine bring people in."
To enter the store is to see an extensive, organized inventory. The first impression is that whatever you might need is there. If it's not, Mr. Moore said, most likely he can order it.
Turnaround for a basic repair averages about a day, and Mr. Moore said he and another technician take great pride in what they do.
"Everything is put back properly. We don't leave screws out," he said. "I've had phones come in and screws will be missing because someone prior had removed them and not put them back in."
Security is another key objective. Ms. Moore has a repair sheet designed to ensure each customer gets back the exact device he or she left with the company. It's imperative to guard the personal contents of phones, computers and tablets, she said.
All personal electronic items -- cell phones, computers, DSi, iPods, iPhones, Playstations, X-Box 360s, Wiis and "most other electronics" can be bought, traded and repaired with confidence that all individual concerns are consistently dealt with promptly and professionally.
Happy Tune'z is at 870 Saxon Blvd. in the Orange City Marketplace and at the corner of A and Main at the Daytona Flea Market. Call (386) 228-0444.