PITTSBURGH — Whether it’s a lawnmower that won’t start, or a family heirloom sitting in a drawer, it can cost a lot to repair everyday items.
Volunteers have launched a movement to address the gap for free and build skills in the process.
“I would have probably thrown them away or they would have been, you know, stuffed in a drawer for years and, you now, unloved for a long time,” said Ari Holt, a customer of a repair cafe.
Holt said her earrings broke after accidentally going through the washing machine. Thanks to a small volunteer army, the earrings are getting a new life.
“We have to change our mindset to think the first thought should be, can I repair this?” said Gwen Smith, executive director for community health, aligning revitalization, resilience and sustainability (CHARRS). “You also begin to know who has what skills in the neighborhood. And each of your neighbors can begin to increase their skills on learning how to fix things.”
The Repair Cafe movement traces its roots to an international foundation in the Netherlands. It’s spread to dozens of cities, including Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh’s repair cafe sets up shop on the first Saturday of every month at Construction Junction in Point Breeze North. This May alone, the group helped with 25 projects and offered stations for IT support and watch repair.
You can learn more about the project, upcoming events, and the services offered on the group’s website: https://www.repaircafepgh.com/
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