Member Spotlight // Everything's Just PEACHii for iPhone-preneur James Peach

It's no secret the iPhone has spawned an entirely new industry of companies scrambling to create apps, cases, and skins. For 3rd Ward member James Peach--alongside his brothers Pat and Nick--the phone helped usher in their new business, PEACHii.

The iBooKas"My brother Pat had been repairing iDevices for some time when the iPhone 4 was launched," Peach says. "With this new glass design, many users of the new phone were dropping them, resulting in their rear glass battery-cover being shattered."

"Noticing only low-quality, foreign-made, aftermarket battery-covers available, he asked my brother Nick to design and manufacture a custom battery-cover out of bamboo" and thus, PEACHii was born.

The brothers do the manufacturing out of a shop in Pensacole ("at a place we call 'DreamLand,' a CNC machine shop built by our 94-year-old grandfather, the original inventor in the family.") Said grandfather--Louis Brown Sr.--invented Tee It, a pneumatic system for practicing one's golf swing.

The iBooKamSo far, the Brothers Peach's original "iBooKas" were listed as one of Mashable's Top 10 iPhone accessories--and we think the iBooKam, a custom lens kit, can't be far behind. Peach says an iPad case is in the works, as are more accessories for PEACHii products themselves.

And so, enter 3rd Ward. "I grew up with a knack for branding and sales," he says, "but over the past few years, a desire to develop more hands-on skills has emerged. Since the curriculum of 3rd Ward ranges from sewing to business planning and everywhere in between, I decided to join. Taking classes like branding and screen printing have proven advantageous for my current position of handling marketing at PEACHii, as well my other projects that include upcycling garments via screen printing and sewing." 

Peach is excited about the idea of collaborating with other 3rd Warders, so if you see a guy talking on a bamboo-clad phone, try and introduce yourself.  Meanwhile, we'll be casually nudging him for one of those gorgeously-crafted toys.

--Layla Schlack