Adding a custom touch to the electronic world

Creating a business that makes it more convenient to get iPhones and iPads repaired was the force behind Woodmere residents, Billy Kure and Tal Grafi, opening iKure on Franklin Avenue in Hewlett.

Proximity to his home was the reason for opening the business in Hewlett, Kure said. “It’s a great neighborhood and it’s great to work close to home,” he said.

The idea for iKure, which has been open for two weeks, was prompted by Kure’s frustration of not having enough money to purchase another iPhone after he broke his. “I found a place in Chinatown that was selling parts for the iPhone so I bought some parts and fixed it myself,” he said. “Once I did I thought about how many people go through what I did so I started offering my services on Facebook and the business started coming in.”

When customers began knocking on Kure’s door at 9 a.m. in the morning to fix their phone, he knew he needed a storefront location. “When I told Tal I was opening a store, I wanted somebody like her on board,” Kure said of Grafi. “She’s driven, motivated and a business genius. This business couldn’t exist without the two of us.”

Grafi handles the behind the scenes aspects of iKure which include inventory, paying bills, marketing, greeting customers and showing them the various customizations that are available for their phones. “I’m a phone stylist,” she joked.

Broken screens, speakers, cameras and water damage are the most common problems customers have. “I’ve had friends who have had to leave their phone over night or wait for a part to be ordered but we do everything on the premises here,” he said. “We also have a ninety-day warranty on all of our phone parts.”

iKure also offers complete customization such as glow in the dark features, colored glass for the front and back of the iPhone, LED lights and a colored bumper, a phone protector that protects the outside edges of the phone. “We also have different color phone accessories to match,” Kure said.

Grafi said customers are shocked because of the uniqueness of iKure. “Nothing like this exists anywhere else,” she said.

Both owners said the store offers a more social environment. “Our customers can use our Wi-Fi, play Xbox or watch a movie while they wait,” Kure said. “We want this to be like their living room.”

Rich Lapointe, a Lynbrook resident, has known Kure for a couple of years and had his iPhone repaired on two occasions and brought in devices from family members and friends. “You save money instead of going to the store and you can get your phone fixed and customized to your liking,” Lapointe said. “In today’s day and age a phone is a huge part of you and making it unique is awesome.”

Lapointe added that iKure is unique not only because of the phone customization but also because of the store’s atmosphere. “The environment there is really cool,” he said. “You can sit comfortably, use the Wi-Fi while you wait and they tend to all your needs.”

In the near future, Kure will be able to install business logos with LED lights on the back of iPhones and customize video game systems such as Xbox and Play Station. “We’re adding a custom touch to the entertainment world,” he said.

For more information about iKure, call (516) 655-4000, go to www.ikure.net, or visit their store at 5 Franklin Ave. in Hewlett.