North Charlotte tech repair store that offers workers a second chance will open soon
City Startup Labs, a workforce training and mentorship organization, is expanding its pilot re-entry program for formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs with the debut of its first-of-its-kind retail business.
ReConnex, or Reentry Connections, will open a digital device repair shop at 5420 N. Tryon St. in north Charlotte, City Startup said Thursday. The 1,400-square-foot store is expected to open in May.
“ReConnex is more than a new business concept —it’s a bridge to opportunity,” City Startup Labs Executive Director Henry Rock said in a statement.
The employees will co-own the business with the City Startup Labs through a workers cooperative, according to the Charlotte nonprofit.
About the nonprofit re-entry program
City Startup Labs started its ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program in 2018 to train people after serving prison sentences, or who were on probation or community service.
So far, 75 people have completed the program, the nonprofit said. The workforce development and digital education program trains people as repair technicians and in customer service in partnership with an Omaha, Nebraska-based company iFixAmerica.
iFixAmerica president Jason DeWater last year called ReConnex the first business of its kind in the digital tech repair industry.
ReConnex is a pilot program funded by a $400,000 Digital Champions grant from the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Office of Digital Opportunity.
City Startup Labs will be a member of the cooperative with four co-owners and employees Elsworth Usher, Brandon Moore, Mustafa Jenkins and Jessica Townes. All four are graduates of the ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program.
Reconnex also offers low-income communities access to tech repair services. The retail shop will be opening in one of Charlotte’s six Corridors of Opportunity, which are focused on economic development initiatives for residents.
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 5:50 AM.