WS Chronicle

Whether it was fixing issues with his gaming console or fixing loose doorknobs, for as long as he can remember Moustapha Diaw has always had a knack for fixing things. “As I kid I just gravitated towards fixing things … whether it was putting it together, taking things apart … just looking at how things work,” he said. Diaw’s fondness for repairing things followed him through high school and now the 20-year-old has turned that passion into his own business, 88 Repairs.

During his senior year at Atkins High School, Diaw dropped his cell phone and at the time he didn’t have the money to get it fixed “… so it was either do it myself or go without,” Diaw said when speaking with The Chronicle last week. 

He said after he fixed his phone, he realized it was fairly easy for him and essentially 88 Repairs was born.

“I started offering it to my friends and people started messaging me … so I would do it in the back of the math class, in the gym, in the locker room, wherever, ” Diaw laughed. 

After graduating from Atkins in 2019, Diaw started taking business classes at Forsyth Tech. He said he planned to transfer to Winston-Salem State University, but he decided to bet on himself and follow his dream of becoming an entrepreneur. 

“I realized quick that as an entrepreneur, it’s better to go out and do it,” he continued. “I was going to go to Forsyth Tech and switch, but I was already fixing phones … so I said, this is taking off, let me drop out and go full-on, and that’s when things really began to take off.” 

A few months after he decided to go into business for himself, Diaw’s local barber and business owner, Antony Hamby, gave him the opportunity to rent space in his barber shop. Diaw said, “He’s a great guy.”

“He didn’t even make me pay at first, it wasn’t about money to him. He really just wanted to see me succeed.” 

After working out of the barbershop and his own apartment for a several months, earlier this year Diaw moved his business to a storefront on Reynolda Road. He said he enjoyed the process, looking for retail spaces, but when he found the spot on Reynolda Road, he knew it was the perfect location. 

Diaw said throughout high school he tried starting businesses, but he wasn’t persistent. He said when he started 88 Repairs, he knew he had to see it through. Throughout the process he said he learned to never give up. 

“Just never giving up, that was a big thing for me. I’ve always had the entrepreneur spirit … but if I had a little bit of resistance, I would say, let’s put this to the side,” Diaw continued. “For me to really take that step forward, I just had to learn to give it 100% and don’t quit.”

88 Repairs specializes in cell phone repair, tablet repair, computer repairs, and game console repairs. The shop is located at 2725 Reynolda Road. For more information, visit www.88-repairs.com or call 336-979-7545.