Pittsburgh starts its own Repair Café
What do you do with a broken toaster? Or with a bike when the wheel runs out of air? Or with a Steelers jersey full of moth holes? Toss it? No way! That’s why Pittsburgh is getting its first Repair Café this coming Fall.
At this monthly event series, people visiting the Repair Café will bring along their broken items from home. Toasters, lamps, hair dryers, clothes, bikes, toys, crockery... anything that is broken is welcome—and can more than likely be repaired. The volunteer repair experts will be available to help attendees make all possible repairs free of charge. Tools and materials will also be on hand.
By promoting repairs, Repair Café PGH wants to help reduce mountains of waste. This is absolutely necessary, according to organizer Marielle Saums. "We throw away piles of stuff in in our city, even things which could be easily used again after a simple repair. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that they can fix things. Repair Café PGH wants to change that."
Repair Café PGH is also meant to connect neighbors a new way. Attendees will discover that a lot of know-how and practical skills can be found close to home. "If you repair a bike, a CD player or a pair of trousers together with a previously unfamiliar neighbor, you look at that person in a different light the next time you run into them on the street,” says Marielle. “Jointly making repairs can lead to deeper community relationships."
Marielle points out that repairs can save money and resources, and can help minimize CO2 emissions. “But above all, Repair Café just wants to show how much fun repairing things can be, and how easy it often is.”
Repair Café PGH will hold repair events on a monthly basis in locations across the city. Aiming for a launch in October 2024, news about dates and locations of up-and-coming editions will follow as soon as possible!
Repair Café International Foundation
The Repair Café concept arose in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 2009, and was created by Martine Postma, at the time a journalist/publicist. In 2010, she started the Repair Café International Foundation. This foundation provides professional support to local groups around the world wishing to start their own Repair Café. The foundation also supports the Repair Café in Pittsburgh.
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