Best Buy’s Geek Squad will celebrate a momentous milestone on June 16, 2024. We’re celebrating 30 years of incredible dedication and hard work from our Agents, who work every day to serve our customers across the country with experience and expertise that no one can deliver like they can.
What started as a small computer repair service in Minneapolis in 1994 has grown into a marquee brand recognized across the country for its unmatched knowledge and unwavering dedication to helping customers with their technology.
“We’re extremely proud of the incredible work and tireless commitment of our Geek Squad Agents over the past 30 years,” said David Nygaard, president of home and enterprise services at Best Buy. “Our Agents are at the core of Best Buy’s belief and ability to help customers unlock a world of possibilities with technology. We’re thrilled to celebrate this landmark anniversary and look to an even brighter future ahead.”
In addition to supporting our customers with everything from computer repair and home theater installation to complex tech troubleshooting, we’ve also expanded our Geek Squad capabilities to help fuel growth for the company and propel us into the future.
Geek Squad: The first 30 years
Before we go into what’s next, let’s celebrate 30 years of Geek Squad success by looking back at a few landmark moments:
1994
- Founder Robert Stephens incorporated Geek Squad with $200, a mountain bike, and a cell phone.
- As the company grew, the first vehicle was acquired: the 1958 Simca Aronde 1300 Elysée. (Fun fact: The original car sits in the Richfield headquarters today.)
1995
- The first official Geek Squad Agent is hired.
- The second vehicle, a black 1973 AM General SWAT truck, is acquired.
1996
- Agent badges are introduced. Robert’s badge number was 66.
1997
- The official Agent uniform is introduced.
1998
- The VW Beetle joins Geek Squad’s official fleet and becomes known as the Geekmobile.
2001
- Geek Squad enters Best Buy Store No. 4 in Minnetonka, Minnesota, making it the first Best Buy store with a Geek Squad presence.
2002
- Best Buy officially acquires Geek Squad.
2004
- Geek Squad celebrates its 10-year anniversary and is rolled out to all Best Buy locations across the United States and Canada. (Fun fact: The rollout caused a national shortage of black VW Beetles.)
2006
- Geek Squad City, a massive repair center, opens in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s still there today, where hundreds of Agents are employed to handle a variety of complex tech issues.
2007
- Geek Squad starts providing home theater installation and mobile audio services to customers.
- Geek Squad Academy, a camp providing kids with hands-on tech experience, is held for the first time in Chicago.
2009
- Geek Squad starts providing remote computer support, helping customers from across the country fix their devices from home.
2016
- Geek Squad unveils a new brand, including a new logo and services that expand well beyond personal computer repair.
- Geek Squad replaces the VW Beetles with Toyota Prius C hybrids.
2017
- Geek Squad begins supporting Best Buy’s health initiatives, including general health and activity monitoring.
2022
- Geek Squad Academy celebrates its 15-year anniversary. Today, there have been nearly 300 camps reaching over 50,000 youth around the nation.
2023
- Geek Squad and Best Buy Health successfully partner with Geisinger Health System to provide care in customers’ homes, leading to more partnerships across the healthcare industry.
And while we’re toasting to the Geek Squad 30th today, we know that tomorrow brings a world of endless possibilities.
Geek Squad now and in the future
In addition to the important role Agents play serving our customers in stores and through Geek Squad City, here are a few other ways we’re leveraging the power of Geek Squad to deliver world class experiences:
Geek Squad for Best Buy Health
Our goal for Best Buy Health is to enable care in the home for everyone, and Geek Squad has played a pivotal role in bringing this to life. In 2023 we announced a partnership with top Pennsylvania-based healthcare system, Geisinger, that utilizes specially trained Agents to help provide a better level of in-home care. This work focused on supporting patients with chronic conditions like congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, hypertension and more. So far, we’ve had a lot of success with our Geisinger partnership. We’re expanding our Geek Squad offerings in the health space by forging new relationships with additional health systems, allowing us to enable care in the home for more people.
Best Buy Business
Technology is essential for business, and Geek Squad knows tech better than anyone. We use this knowledge and our unparalleled expertise and national reach to provide customized tech and A/V solutions for businesses, tailoring each set up to their specific needs. Our Agents also pre-configure and test all devices to make sure they’re working correctly and provide 24/7 tech support after the project is completed. This program continues to expand following great success, with past projects ranging from installing hundreds of TVs in an pro baseball stadium to partnering with city leaders to install thousands of free air conditioners for low-income seniors.
Geek Squad as a Service
As our capabilities continue to grow, we’re able to provide more Geek Squad support for other businesses, specifically when it comes to device lifecycle management. With Geek Squad as a Service, we’re exploring how we can provide businesses with all their employees’ tech devices, from phones to laptops, and provide end-to-end support including setting them up and configuring them based on the employee’s needs.
Cheers to Geek Squad and, especially, our Agents and customers who have helped us reach three decades of incredible success!
Learn more about Geek Squad’s services here.