Ohio Man Embarks on 2,000-Mile Road Trip to Visit Independent Repair Shops

Michael Oberdick travels across 13 states to connect with fellow electronics repair professionals and share best practices.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 8:55am

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An abstract, colorful image created through slow-shutter panning, depicting a car in motion on a highway and conveying a sense of speed and travel.Oberdick's cross-country journey to connect with fellow repair professionals captured in a blur of color and motion.Chicago Today

In a 12-day journey spanning 2,000 miles, Ohio resident Michael Oberdick visited 34 independent electronics repair shops across the Midwest, from Chicago to Atlanta. Oberdick, who runs his own repair business called iOutlet, wanted to connect with fellow repair professionals, share ideas and best practices, and strengthen the network of small businesses providing personalized device repair services to local communities.

Why it matters

Independent repair shops play a crucial role in keeping consumers' electronics functioning, especially in areas underserved by major manufacturers. Oberdick's road trip highlights the value these small businesses provide and the importance of the repair community coming together to share knowledge and resources.

The details

Over the course of his trip, Oberdick met with repair professionals in 13 different states, learning unique techniques and approaches from each shop he visited. He hopes to take what he's learned back to his own business and also share it with other independent repairers through online forums and industry groups like Repair.org.

  • Oberdick embarked on his road trip in late November 2026.
  • The 12-day journey covered 2,000 miles across the Midwest.

The players

Michael Oberdick

The owner of iOutlet, an Ohio-based business that sells pre-owned Apple products and repairs consumer electronics. Oberdick organized the road trip to connect with fellow independent repair professionals.

Repair.org

A trade and advocacy group for the repair industry that Oberdick is a member of.

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What they’re saying

“For the third-party repair guys, like myself, in the smaller locations—in the long run, we need to stick together. We need to share information and ideas so that we can compete with the big franchises.”

— Michael Oberdick, Owner, iOutlet

“You take a piece from every single person. Every single person has something unique about them that I would have never thought that someone would ever do in a repair shop. I learned a little piece of information from everyone. Now I get to come back and use those [best practices] and share that information with other people as well.”

— Michael Oberdick, Owner, iOutlet

What’s next

Oberdick plans to embark on another road trip in 2027, this time visiting repair shops in the Northeast and on the West Coast.

The takeaway

Oberdick's cross-country journey highlights the vital role independent repair shops play in servicing consumers' electronics and the importance of the repair community coming together to share knowledge and resources, especially in the face of competition from larger corporate repair franchises.