Marga’s Repair Café (with a Matcha & Coffee)

Published on 30 July 2026 at 09:00

Welcome to Marga’s Repair Café! ☕️ 🍵 ✂️

Open just one afternoon a month for just my husband and me.

We serve hot coffee & trendy matcha!

Uh? What is Marga's Repair Café all about?

Well, picture a cozy table. Actually... scratch "cozy." Picture a table completely covered in clutter! Broken items, damaged clothes, and even second-hand quilts waiting for a big update. This table center-stages our living room. My husband and I have our own station at the table:

My side (The Textile Zone): Sewing on missing buttons, repairing tears, and replacing zippers. If a job gets too tricky for the table, it moves upstairs to my sewing room!
My husband’s side (The Tech Zone): A broken drill, a moody toaster, and a struggling coffee maker. Piece of cake for him—he has a technical background!

By the end of the afternoon, we look at the table with pride. A big pile of stuff that was headed straight for the landfill or the thrift store is saved and we are ready for round two! That is what Marga's Repair Café is all about.

You Can Do More Than You Think! 🛠️

Why am I sharing this? Because I want you to know one thing: you can do way more than you think.

Years ago, the washing machine I used for washing heavy horse blankets broke down. This was a massive, industrial machine. The repair guy told me he couldn't come for three whole weeks! Meanwhile, the dirty horse blankets (and that unmistakable farm smell) kept piling up. Customers started calling... And neighbours by the way... 👃💨

I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Armed with a flashlight and my phone, I squeezed behind the machine. At every step, I took photos so I would know how to put everything back together. I looked up troubleshooting steps online, called a friendly technician for telephone advice, and ordered the spare parts. He laughed and said: "Just wait for me, don't break anything!"

When he finally arrived three weeks later for a check, the machine was already running full-time again! He turned to my husband and gave him a big compliment.

"Uhm... excuse me! It was ME!", I exclaimed.

Now this article can take a justifiable feminist turn but let us stay focused on my.imaginary Repair Café. The repair guy was so impressed he actually offered me a job as a mechanic on the spot!

Give It a Try!

These days, I repair my own sewing machine whenever I can. Though to be completely honest: I still prefer a needle and thread over a screwdriver any day! My message to you is simple:

Make it cozy. Grab a coffee or matcha to boast your energy and courage.
Keep your phone ready for taking step-by-step photos before you unscrew anything.
Explore the thing and try repairing it!

Believe me, everyone is capable of fixing more than they realize. Put on your brave shoes, dive in, and just do it!

Beyond being a fun, cozy ritual and a quiet moment for yourself with a nice cup of matcha, repairing things gives you the most amazing sense of pride and accomplishment. Knowing you saved something with your own two hands feels incredible—and the fact that it keeps waste out of the landfill and helps the environment is a fantastic bonus!

And should if you ever feel stuck or need a bit of guidance, you don't have to do it alone. Take a look around your local town or city: Repair Cafés are popping up like mushrooms everywhere, and honestly, that’s a wonderful thing. There are plenty of handy people ready to help you out and share their tips.

REPAIR REASONS

Why do we need more courage to repair things ourselves? Whether that are smartphones or heavy industrial washing machines?

There are a few reasons:

It saves costs as repairing is often cheaper than replacing. And why is this? Because resources and parts become increasingly expensive.

Knowledge sharing -in order to repair things- builds communities.

Repairing is a serious push-back against throwaway culture and reduces waste.

Resilience. Being dependent is never a great idea though it is -to a level- inevitable. But try to build skills and become resilient.

I mentioned it before but can't stress enough: there is so much fulfillment in fixing something yourself.

Last, and as an artisan -I urgently call for learning repair skills from older generations before these skills die out. Traditional repair skills (e.g., sewing, woodworking, basket weaving, etc.) shouldn't get lost.