For things that need fixing...
There's a Repair Café!
Repair Cafés are scheduled events at community centers where anyone can bring almost anything to be fixed for free. Started in 2009 and operating in multiple countries, Repair Cafés are a global movement to repair useful things and reduce waste. Staffed by expert volunteers, you can bring clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera to be repaired and the experts will work with you so you can make similar repairs for yourself in the future.
At the Repair Café on July 26 at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill, a line about 7 deep waited at the registration desk a few minutes before opening time at 1pm. A woman carrying a beautiful lamp reported that it had worked for about three days after she bought it. “And not a day since.” And the store went out of business so she was stuck with a decorative though non-useful item unless the volunteers there could help her. At the registration desk, attendees filled out a slip with their contact info, item, and description of the problem. From there, they carried their slip into the main room where it was added to a table of slips categorized by type of item, e.g., jewelry, clothing, lamps. Expert volunteers regularly checked their category on the table, picked up slips, met their clients, and led them to a workstation. The auditorium buzzed with anticipation, filled with eager volunteers and hopeful visitors…and lots of stuff.
I spoke with the Founder and Organizer of Repair Café NC, Don Fick, who started these events in Cary in 2017. Repair Café NC aims to have one event per month in the Triangle and is on the lookout for free locations—usually community centers--where they can set up the operation, comprising many folding tables laden with tools and folding chairs for volunteers and clients.
According to Mr. Fick, the most common things that come to these Repair Cafés are: lamps, sewing machines, tabletop appliances such as air fryers, picture frames, decorative items, furniture. People with items to be repaired sit down with an expert volunteer to observe, learn, and participate in the repair. “Primarily, it’s an educational experience for our guests, to understand their item and to learn how to care for it and maintain it in the future.”
Even without manufacturer support or spare parts, about 80% of experiences here result in successful repairs. Mr. Fick says that is a big increase from even just a year ago when the success rate was about 65%. “We have a growing number of volunteers that are just bringing in extraordinary talent.”
Volunteers can sign up on the website. Last Saturday there were 10 first time volunteers out of about 35-40 volunteers participating. And the clients? About 100 people pre-registered and Repair Cafés are open to walk-ins, too. Not everyone who registers shows up but Mr. Fick still expected about 120-150 people to bring something in.
How does he feel at the end of one of these days? “Exhausted!” He said the volunteers may feel a bit drained but also gratified that they were able to help people, and they see that the work they do is appreciated. So “it’s just a great feeling at the end of the day.”
More coverage of Repair Cafés: Due South (WUNC) interviewed Don Fick earlier this year.