Repair Café giving broken items a second chance in Saskatoon

In many homes around Saskatchewan, there’s a closet or drawer filled with “I’ll fix it someday” items.

A wobbly lamp, a jacket missing a button, a toaster or cell phone charger that only works if you jiggle the cord just right.

Things that could likely be repaired, if only someone had the time, the tools or the know-how.

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At Saskatoon Makerspace, that “someday” has a time and place: Welcome to the Repair Café.

It looks unassuming from the front door on Avenue D South, but Saskatoon Makerspace is crafter’s paradise. The facility covers more than 10,000 square feet and offers an incredible array of tools and education opportunities. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Once a month on a Saturday, Saskatoon Makerspace transforms into a hub of second chances, where broken zippers, creaky chairs and temperamental electronics are laid out like patients in a waiting room.

Listen to the story on Behind the Headlines:

Nothing here is thrown away without a fight.

Kavya Chandra, volunteer coordinator for the Repair Café, says this monthly event is exactly what it sounds like.

Kavya Chandra is the volunteer coordinator for the Repair Café. She said the monthly event isn’t just about getting your items fixed — it’s about community and connection. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

People bring in items that need fixing, and a team of volunteers armed with skills in sewing, woodworking, metalwork and electronics get to work.

“Essentially, if you want to reuse and not throw something out, you can bring it to Repair Café,” she explained. “The goal is to be able to kind of help you also learn how to repair things.”

She said Repair Café isn’t just about saving money or reducing waste, though it does both. It’s about the small thrill of not giving up.

Saskatoon Makerspace has tons of tools on hand that can be utilized for repairs. At home, you may not have access to a soldering iron. Here? It’s ready and waiting to be used. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

“There’s a kind of stubbornness to it,” Chandra explained. In a world where it’s often easier to replace than repair, choosing to fix something can feel almost rebellious.

“It would be just easier to go buy a new charger rather than, you know, figure out how to fix it,” she noted. But that’s exactly the habit Repair Café challenges.

Some fixes are surprisingly simple if you have the right tools and someone to guide you. That’s where Repair Café shines: not just in the repair itself, but in the knowledge shared across the table.

Not everyone has someone they can call for help with a broken appliance or a tricky repair. Events like this create a kind of skill-sharing network. One built on patience, curiosity and a willingness to tinker.

From mending holes to hemming pants, volunteer sewists are on hand to help with all of your fabric needs. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

For visitors like Allison, that support can make all the difference.

She brought in a hair dryer that still blew air — just not hot air. Not exactly useful.

“It seemed like it still worked,” she said, watching over a volunteer’s shoulder as he carefully unscrewed the casing, easing it apart to expose a tangle of wires and components inside. He traced the connections, adjusting and testing as he went. “It was a little bit expensive, so I didn’t want to just chuck it.”

That’s the quiet promise of Repair Café: your “almost broken” item might not be done yet.

Allison was hesitant to toss this hairdryer in the trash. Instead, she packed it up and brought it to the Repair Café! (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching someone take apart a device you’d already written off. Screws are loosened, panels lifted, wires inspected. Conversations spark. Strangers become collaborators. And every now and then, something clicks — and the object springs back to life.

Repair Café is free to attend. Occasionally, a specific replacement part might be needed, something organizers don’t always have on hand. But otherwise, the only real cost is a bit of time and curiosity.

If you’ve got a drawer full of “someday” projects or a beloved item you’re not quite ready to give up on, you might find yourself right at home.

Bring your broken things. Stay for the coffee. And don’t be surprised if you leave with something fixed — and a new sense that maybe not everything has to be replaced.

Once a month at Saskatoon Makerspace, volunteers help community members fix broken household items for free, sharing skills and bringing everything from lamps to coffee makers or clothing back to life. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)