Repair Café Charleston will host its first event on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bees Ferry West Ashley Library, 3035 Sanders Road.
What do you do with a broken toaster, a wobbly bicycle wheel or a sweater with holes? Throw it away? Not if Repair Café Charleston has anything to say about it.
At the inaugural Repair Café, local volunteer fixers will help residents repair everyday items free of charge. Tools and basic materials will be available on-site. Guests are encouraged to bring broken household items such as small appliances, lamps, clothing, bicycles, toys and cookware. The goal is simple: Fix what can be fixed instead of throwing it away.
Repair Café Charleston is partnering with Charleston County Public Library. With its Creative Studio and support for hands-on learning, creativity and STEM programming, the library is a natural home for an event centered on repair, resourcefulness and sharing practical skills.
By promoting repair, Repair Café Charleston aims to reduce waste, save people money and bring neighbors together.
“We throw away far too many things that still have life left in them,” founder Bill Laughlin said. “A lot of items can be repaired with a little time, the right tools, and a bit of know-how. Repair Café Charleston is about keeping useful things out of the landfill and helping people rediscover their repair skills.”
The event is also designed to bring people together.
“When you repair something with someone you did not know before, it changes how you see your community,” Laughlin said. “You are not just fixing a lamp or a bike. You are sharing knowledge, meeting neighbors, and proving that repair can be both practical and fun.”
The Repair Café concept began in Amsterdam in 2009 and has since spread around the world. In 2010, founder Martine Postma launched the Repair Café International Foundation, which provides guidance and support to local groups starting their own Repair Cafés.
Repair Café Charleston plans to hold events at the Bees Ferry West Ashley Library on the second Saturday of even-numbered months.
Learn more at Repaircafe.org/en and on Facebook at facebook.com/RepairCafeCharleston.