What started in the garage of chief executive Rhett McGuinness' home as a means to pay rent, has grown into a business that now boasts six locations across Victoria's west and in March, 2024, Buzztech arrived in Horsham.
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"To start with, it was about paying the rent, and then now it's evolved" said Mr McGuinness.
"I liked the idea of bringing good quality service and products to the people in the country that usually miss out."
Horsham's newest business offers repair and customisation to a range of Apple and Samsung devices.
"We've got a full range of skins, which can customize your phone so that it can fit your personality," said Mr McGuinness.
Speaking to The Wimmera Mail-Times in the weeks following the store's opening, Mr McGuiness said he has seen a positive response from the community.
"A lot of people loving and coming in saying we're very cheap," he said.
"We've got a wider selection of accessories than anywhere else in town, and we're getting a lot of good feedback from everyone we've talked to."
Prior to coming to Horsham, Buzztech has stores set up in Colac, Warrnambool, Geelong, Mount Gambier, and Moonee Ponds.
Horsham was carefully picked to be the location of Mr McGuinness' new Buzztech store front.
"I've got a mudmap on my on my wall at home of all the locations in regional Victoria, that tick the boxes," he said.
Mr McGuiness said when assessing potential locations he looks at the population and available telcos among other indicators.
"Horsham's not too far away from the other stores," he said.
"I look around at all the towns that are on my mudmap and in Horsham I feel that there was a service that was missing."
Mr McGuiness likened Horsham to Warrnambool where he said his company does very well.
Choosing Buzztech's new location within Horsham at 66 Firebrace St was also purposeful by Mr McGuinness.
"The location was was handpicked," said Mr McGuinness.
"It's in a building that hasn't been used for a while, so it gives a lot of impact when we come into town."
Operating close to the Optus and Telstra stores in Horsham is also a benefit of the stores location according to Mr McGuiness.
"Any tech questions that their clients have that they can't answer, we can answer," said Mr McGuinness.
Mr McGuiness said all of Buzztech's techs are professionally trained and if they are not sure how to answer a question in Horsham, they can reach out to the company's other stores for support.
"[We have a] good network of techs that know what they're talking about," he said.
John Hall
John is a news and sports journalist for the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. He is a former apprentice mechanic who earned his bachelors degree in journalism from Macleay College in Sydney.
John is a news and sports journalist for the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. He is a former apprentice mechanic who earned his bachelors degree in journalism from Macleay College in Sydney.
