Repair Café – what is it? Can I get a coffee there?

The repair café movement is coming to Melrose!

The Repair Café concept originated in Amsterdam, Netherlands as the grassroots effort by one woman who opened the first café in October 2009. A resounding success, there are now Repair Cafés all over the globe, with more opening each day – including in our hometown of Melrose.

Check Melrose’s Lend and Mend – Events and Zero Waste Melrose - Upcoming Events for locations and times.

What is it?

A Repair Café is a free community event, located in a public gathering spot, focused on repairing things (together). You can bring a broken household item to the café where a volunteer will assess the item and will either fix it then and there or will help you make a plan for how and where to get the item fixed.

Got a broken lamp? A small kitchen appliance on the fritz? A treasured stuffed animal needs a mend? A Repair Café may be able to help!

How does it work?

It’s quite straightforward. A Repair Café is held in a public space where all can visit. No entrance fee to the venue is charged and no membership fee for the café is required. All members of the public can visit and it’s not limited to residents of the location. If a repair merits the use of supplies or needs a part replaced, it’s expected that you would purchase the part. A volunteer’s knowledge and labor are donated free of charge! You can volunteer or donate, too!

And why a Repair Café?

The world is collectively throwing away a lot of stuff. This pollutes our Earth, uses resources one time, and costs us money. A Repair Café can be a remedy to this by fixing something that can be repaired, by sharing the knowledge and skills of repair, by saving people money, and by bringing people together in a community.

And, speaking of community, yes, you can get a beverage and a snack. Come visit!