ESCANABA — Locally owned TEAM Wireless, Verizon authorized retailer, acquired Mobile Life, Inc., Verizon authorized retailer of LaCrosse, Wis, effective November 1. Mobile Life, Inc. independently owned and operated eight retail locations throughout Western Wisconsin and one in Eastern Minnesota. TEAM Wireless now operates 71 locations across four states as a Verizon authorized retailer and is approaching 400 employees as a business.
“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished as an Upper Peninsula based business,” said founder and CEO of TEAM Wireless, Brian Boucher. “2021 was our fastest growing year ever as we added 24 locations. We’re excited to grow our TEAM Wireless brand and continue our legacy of excellent customer service into new communities and an additional state. This marks our 6th acquisition over a span of 11 years. Keeping our headquarters in Escanaba has allowed us to create excellent careers right here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As a proud, native, Yooper, I think family sustaining careers in one of the crucial factors regarding keeping strong families here in the U.P. Our corporate headquarters remains to this day on that original property on 6th Ave. in Escanaba and I intend to keep it that way.”
2021 also marked TEAM Wireless’s 20th year as a business since owner Brian Boucher purchased the single TEAM Electronics location on 2220 6th Ave. N. in Escanaba, in 2001. “TEAM Electronics was a home/car audio and video chain that eventually disbanded and allowed former franchise owners to continue operating independently. This was the state of the business in 2001 when I purchased the location” recounts Brian. “At that time, we sold audio and video equipment and accessories and even performed automotive audio installations. Cell phones and bag phones were a part of the business but quickly became the product most in demand by the mid-2000s.”
“When the opportunity to expand presented itself, we began opening wireless retail stores like we have today. Our second store, located in Menominee, opened in 2007. We changed the business name to TEAM Wireless in 2009 the same year we transitioned from Alltel to Verizon. We grew slow and steady over the past 20 years through both acquisitions and activating new markets within our geographical footprint. Through this we stayed true to our roots as a family-owned company, and I think that’s a big part of our success especially the past two years when our local communities and economies were impacted by the pandemic.”
“I just want to really express gratitude towards our local Guests and employees who stayed loyal to us over the years. I personally sold many people in the Escanaba area their very fist cell phone and to know that their children are now buying their first phones at our locations is a special feeling. To reciprocate we try to give back as much as we can to our local families. One way we do this is through our annual Backpacks 4 Kids event. With the help of in-store donations, in 2021 alone, we provided over 4,000 backpacks and over $80,000 worth of school supplies to school age children throughout our communities.” Brian continues “TEAM Wireless wouldn’t be where it is today without the people of our business. We’ve been extremely fortunate to find talented, hard-working employees over the years. As a business, we have a real gift of hiring the right people and promoting them into the right roles. We have employees from the original store in Escanaba still working with us to this day.”
Boucher and his wife, Sarah, live in the Escanaba area with their three children. TEAM Wireless operates 71 retail locations throughout Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. TEAM Wireless is a Verizon authorized retailer, certified mobile device repair center, and carries a full line of wireless accessories.
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