A Bloomington television recycling company expects good reception when it opens a new location in England next month.
ShopJimmy.com buys damaged televisions cheap from retailers and distributors, then strips out the parts that still work to sell to consumers, repair shops, and warranty companies.
Owner Jimmy Vosika started the company in January 2007 as a hobby while he was still working for his father-in-law's appliance recycling company.
"I basically bought a broken plasma TV off ebay for $200 and then sold it for $700 later that week for parts," says Vosika.
Since then, his company has grown into a 55-employee operation with facilities in Bloomington and Lino Lakes that process between 1,200 and 1,500 televisions a week.
The company's employee count will grow by 10 next month when it opens a location near Oxford, England.
"We're getting so much demand every day from overseas companies," says Vosika. But shipping to Europe and elsewhere from the Twin Cities often costs much more than the actual part.
The Oxford facility will mirror the company's Twin Cities operation. Workers will take apart televisions from ShopJimmy's suppliers, test the parts, then sort and catalog everything so it's ready to sell online.
Vosika believes the company's European operations will eventually eclipse its U.S. business because of greater demand and the ability to ship around the world more affordably.
Source: Jimmy Vosika, ShopJimmy.com
Writer:
Dan Haugen