Wilmington Repair Café returns Dec. 5 to help residents fix, reuse household items

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington residents looking to fix broken household items instead of throwing them away will have an opportunity to learn repair skills at an upcoming community workshop.

The next Wilmington Repair Café will take place Saturday, Dec. 5, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Legacy Architectural Salvage, located at 1831-B Dawson St., behind Ace Hardware.

The event allows participants to bring broken household items and work alongside experienced volunteer coaches to learn how to repair them.

Basic tools and materials will be provided.

What can you bring?

Repair stations will be available for a variety of household items, including toys, lamps, small appliances, clocks and electronics.

Additional stations will focus on sewing and woodworking.

Rather than simply dropping off items for repairs, participants will have the opportunity to learn how to make fixes themselves with guidance from experienced coaches.

Organizers say the goal is to extend the useful life of everyday items while helping residents develop practical skills.

Promoting sustainability through repairs

The Repair Café concept began in the Netherlands in 2009, founded by Martine Postma as a way to promote sustainability and reduce waste.

Since then, Repair Café events have expanded around the world, bringing community members together to repair items that might otherwise end up in the trash.

The Wilmington event follows that same approach, encouraging people to reuse household items while learning from others.

Local organizers include Dani Brennan, Jeanette Philips, Sara Dousharm and Allison Rankin.

Advance registration is encouraged but not required.

For more information, visit their website.