In a cozy Portland basement, something special happens once a month. It’s not a store or a business. It’s a group of neighbors, toolboxes in hand, ready to fix what others might throw away.

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KGW

Welcome to Repair PDX, where volunteers don’t just mend broken toasters and torn backpacks — they build hope and community.

“This is a repair cafe,” says co-founder Lauren Gross, smiling. “We fix people’s stuff for free — and have a lot of fun doing it.”

Since 2013, volunteers have gathered in the basement of the Leaven Community Common House to help others save their favorite items. The room buzzes with the sound of laughter, screwdrivers, and second chances.

“It gets so loud in here, you can’t even talk,” said volunteer Thomas Coleman. “I just love it.”

Every Broken Item Has a Story

People arrive with treasures in need of love — not just things, but memories. A stubborn backpack named Pierre. A beloved alarm clock dropped from four feet up. A hotpot that won’t heat. A KitchenAid mixer that stopped while baking holiday bread.

Volunteer fixers treat every item with care. Some bring decades of experience. Jim Harger, a retired mechanical engineer, gently examined a hotpot like a doctor might check a heartbeat. His motto? “We’ll fix everything — except broken hearts and football games.”

And then there’s Jim Carlisle, age 92, who drives 45 miles each month to help. “Been fixing things for 77 years,” he says. “Still learning. Still teaching.”

When Carlisle handed the right part to help repair a visitor’s KitchenAid mixer, the moment it whirred back to life was pure joy.

“Oh, my goodness,” said volunteer Dan, eyes wide. The owner, Anna, clapped. “It worked! Thank you so much.”

More Than Machines: Mending Memories and Making Friends

Not everything here plugs into a wall. Melissa Madenski brought a 40-year-old quilt made by friends, some now gone. “It’s like being wrapped in memories,” she said.

Volunteer seamstress Erica lit up when she saw it. “This is gorgeous,” she whispered.

Three hours later, Erica handed the restored quilt back. Melissa was nearly in tears. “It looks gorgeous,” she said. “Best three hours I’ve spent in a long time.”

All around the room, small victories stack up. A hotpot heats again. An alarm clock chimes. A broken zipper is replaced. Volunteers even teach kids, like 8-year-old Stella, the joy of fixing instead of throwing things away.

“There’s something beautiful about learning you don’t have to toss it,” said visitor Shaili Parekh, who discovered her alarm clock just needed a reset button.

A Movement That’s Repairing the World, One Fix at a Time

Repair PDX is part of a global movement that started in the Netherlands. When Lauren Gross visited a repair cafe there, she felt something powerful. “It wasn’t just about fixing things. It was about community,” she said.

Since then, Repair PDX has helped save over 5,000 items from the landfill — and Oregon has passed one of the few Right to Repair laws in the country, making it easier for everyone to fix their own electronics.

The group hosts monthly repair cafes at the Leaven Community House in Northeast Portland. Everyone is welcome — and you don’t just drop off your item. You sit down, watch, learn, and connect.

As volunteer Erica put it, “Today I know I made someone’s life better.”

And that’s what Repair PDX is really about.

Want to be part of the next repair cafe?
Visit RepairPDX.org to check dates, volunteer, or donate.

In a world built to break, Repair PDX is building something that lasts.