Elle Cota, Spectrum Editor
Lots of tinkering and fixing took place at the Repair Cafe RVA’s event on Sunday, Oct. 4 and, as the name might suggest, people’s trash became treasure again.
At the cafe’s monthly gathering, broken zippers, furniture, bikes, electronics and more filled tables at the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Volunteers worked alongside visitors to repair items rather than sending them off to the landfill.
Repair Cafe is a worldwide movement most commonly found in Europe. After learning about the concept from a friend in France a decade ago, its founder, Jenny Kobayashi Malone, said she decided to start a Richmond chapter in 2024 after years of interest in the movement. She said she spent months planning the Richmond location.
The organization held its first event in January 2025 and has since built a community of volunteers.
“I love that Richmond has an enduring culture of mutual aid and resourcefulness, plus a growing interest in caring for our planet,” Kobayashi Malone said.
The events typically bring 25 to 45 volunteers together, with specialists working on everything from sewing to electronics. Volunteers are encouraged to keep repairs to 20 or 30 minutes and bring their own tools, while the organization provides commonly used supplies through community donations.
“I want us to be able to rely on each other more instead of giving our hard-earned money to corporations — we have so much of what we need already, especially when we work together,” Kobayashi Malone said.
Elizabeth Taylor, a fourth-time volunteer, specializes in sewing. She repairs zippers, stuffed animals, buttons and hems while teaching visitors basic techniques they can use at home.
Taylor has sewn since childhood and is passionate about sustainability, choosing secondhand clothing and repairing or making her own clothes. She joined Repair Cafe RVA to meet people while lending a helping hand.
“Overall, probably just my confidence in doing repairs for strangers is the biggest thing that’s changed,” Taylor said.
Jacqui Bauer, a second-year volunteer, said repairing for her is about understanding how items are put together. She described the process as a “reverse puzzle,” deconstructing an item and figuring out how to put it back together.
“People are so excited, especially if it’s a beloved item they’re bringing in that’s broken,” Bauer said. “It’s so exciting to see their reactions when we’re able to fix it.”
The group’s collaborative atmosphere is part of what keeps her returning each month, with volunteers sharing tools, knowledge and materials while learning from one another. She said the organization weighs the repaired items to track how much is kept out of the landfill, though the bigger goal is encouraging people to think twice before throwing something away.
JaNyah Gholar, a first-time attendee, brought a Victrola record player she had owned for about a year and a half. Its arm mechanism was not working, causing the record to spin without playing.
A volunteer examined the item for about half an hour, but could not fix it with the available tools and time constraint. However, Gholar said she would return to another event if she needed another item repaired.
“I think it’s good for the community to just have what they already own and be able to fix it so they can keep it for longer,” Gholar said.
Repair Cafe RVA’s next event is Sunday, Nov. 15 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Richmond Main Library, with repairs accepted until 3:15 p.m.
More information, including volunteer and repair request forms, is available through Repair Cafe RVA’s Instagram and Facebook, @repaircaferva.