LINCOLN, Nebraska (KOLN) – If you bring something in, chances are it will be fixed at the Lincoln Repair Café. For over a decade, the pop-up repair shop has done everything from sharpening scissors to sewing up the holes in customers’ favorite jeans.
The cafe’s volunteers said they expect something new each time because, as they’ve learned over the years, there’s always something new that needs to be fixed.
The Repair Café is a global movement that has had a branch in Lincoln, the only one in Nebraska, for twelve years.
Located in the basement of New Visions United Methodist Church in Lincoln, volunteer artisans, jewelers and seamstresses welcome anyone who brings anything that needs repairing, from pants with holes in them to lamps that have lost their light. All work is done completely free of charge, with the goal of breathing new life into parishioners’ old valuables.
The cafe’s operators said they would do their best to fix the problem if it could be moved to the church’s basement.
If that doesn’t work, they tell customers exactly what parts they need to get the job done. Just last month, volunteers put their heads and tools together to restore a mini fridge, adding a new part to the long list of those successfully restored to like-new condition.
“I like helping people and fixing things,” says volunteer Larry James. “So it’s just a natural mix.”
“It’s nice to have something you love that doesn’t work anymore and suddenly it’s fixed,” said Barb Sanford, a regular customer.
The cafe is set up in the basement of the church every third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m. Since all the work is done entirely by volunteers, they are always looking for more helpers, whether they bring a complete toolbox or just a sewing needle.
You can follow their events on their Facebook page.
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