The day I finally visited the Repair Café (I’d been wanting to, for literally years) was the busiest event they’d ever had. It was hoppin’ with people — quite a few bringing various broken small electronics items. Volunteer repair experts’ specialty areas varied so sometimes you needed to wait not just for the next available helper, but for someone who knew how to fix what you had broken.
There was a table with jewelry repair tools (tiny pliers, etc) which could also be used by attendees.
I brought my broken patio umbrella which would no longer crank open and I couldn’t figure out how to get inside the pole. The rope inside had split – and we were able to fix it! In the process I learned what a cotter pin is… (I was spelling it “cauter” in my mind at first, ha) and what it does.
The focus on helping people understand how to fix things and not just fixing something for them was much appreciated; and the dynamic with some others there was convivial.
Repair Café is an international org which was started by Martine Postma in the Netherlands in 2009.
“Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields.
Visitors bring their broken items from home. Together with the specialists they start making their repairs in the Repair Café. It’s an ongoing learning process… Or you can lend a hand with someone else’s repair job…
There are over 2,500 Repair Cafés worldwide.”
