DON’T REPLACE IT…REPAIR IT!

Should I toss out my broken items? No way! Instead, come out for SCARCE’s 5th Repair Fair! Experts will be on-site to perform simple repairs on household items. While you’re here, take a look around our onsite SCARCE-LY Used Books & Records Resale Shop.

Stop by this free event to see how a simple and affordable repair can make treasured items feel like new!

Repair experts will be onsite to help with:

Kitchen Knife Sharpening: Straight edge and serrated knives. Limit 2 per household unless time permits for more.

Handheld Tool Sharpening:

• Scissors: fabric scissors, kitchen scissors, and utility scissors.
• Small manicure tools: cuticle clippers, nail clippers, etc.
• Small blade garden tools: pruners, loppers, and snips only. Hedge shears will be evaluated but sharpening may need to be performed offsite
• No shovels, mower blades, hollow ground hair shears, or clipper blades please

Costume Jewelry Repair/Modifications: Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, clasps, chains (fix or shorten/lengthen), and more! Restringing might need to be performed offsite. No watches or rings please.

Household Appliances and Electronics Repair: Small appliances, vacuum cleaners, radios, audio equipment, etc. No sewing machines, no TV’s, no computers, and no printers please. Limit 1 per household.

Minor Sewing Repairs and Alterations: Repair tears, do minor alterations (e.g. shortening pants or sleeves or taking in a waist band or sleeve), replace fasteners (e.g. buttons, velcro, hook and eye, etc.), patch, and add or replace pockets. Seamstress may be able to fix zippers but no zipper replacements please. Limit 2 items per household unless time permits for more.

FAQ’s

When is it?

Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 9:00am-12:00pm

Where is it?

The Repair Fair will take place in the Education Center of SCARCE’s facility located at 800 S Rohlwing Rd (Rt 53), Addison, IL 60101. Please enter through the doors on the north side of the parking lot under the blue awning.

What can I do if there is a wait?

You can browse our onsite SCARCE-LY Used Books & Records Resale Shop, open to the public and perfect for all ages. We have books, records, holiday items, crafting supplies, puzzles, activities, and more.

How much does it cost?

The event is free but there may be a small fee for repairs. Cash is strongly encouraged. Other forms of payment will be accepted at the discretion of each vendor.

Do I need to sign up ahead of time?

Items will be evaluated and repaired on a first-come first-serve basis.

What if they can’t fix my item?

If a vendor is unable to fix an item onsite for any reason, they might ask you to leave the item with them to be completed and returned to you at an agreed upon date.

We will continue to update this page with details as the event draws nearer. Please check back if you have questions, or call SCARCE at (630) 545-9710. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Instagram for the latest news and updates from SCARCE!

Meet our Vendors!

Bill Storm, Knife Sharpening – Bill is a self-described, “father and home-repair handyman who likes to fix things”. As such, he recognizes that it can be difficult to keep knives and tools sharp enough to get the job done. His son started training in the art of sharpening knives and tools 10 years ago and used those skills to start a successful sharpening business. 7 years later, he trained his father to continue in his place and help people get back their “edge”.  Bill has sharpened more than 2,000 knives and 2,800 other dull things. He works out of his Naperville home and enjoys helping at Repair Fairs. 

Grant Lauinger, Tool Sharpening & Repair – Grant is the founder of Custom Edge Sharpening, a professional sharpening service in Glen Ellyn. He realized his passion for sharpening 10 years ago when, as a woodworker, he needed sharp tools to do his projects well. He began studying and learning the art of sharpening under the tutelage of some of the best sharpeners in the country. As he developed his technique and honed his craft,  he started to invest in more and better equipment, and extended his sharpening skills to kitchen, lawn, and garden tools. Nowadays he is proud to use all of his knowledge and skill to make people’s  knives and tools look and cut at the highest level possible. Visit www.customedgesharpening.com to learn more.

Lisa King, Jewelry Repair – Lisa has been designing and creating jewelry and other adornments for more than 25 years. She particularly enjoys refurbishing vintage jewelry, wire wrapping & weaving, and cleaning & repairing the jewelry sold at SCARCE. Her newest passion is permanent jewelry! You can learn more about her permanent jewelry parties and pop-ups at www.alwayslinked2.com.

Joe Wiesenfelder, Household Appliances and Electronics Repair – Joe’s near-pathological distaste for wasting anything dovetails nicely with a lifelong habit of taking things apart, which is often the first step in repairing them, as he has done successfully for decades, including many years as a volunteer at the Oak Park Repair Cafe. Joe has repaired everything from a century-old fortune-teller automaton to the latest audio gear. Already versed in many disciplines, Joe is now pursuing certification as an electronics technician. 

Edith Makra, Sewing Repair and Minor Alterations – Edith was given many choices of chores when she was a kid. She chose to repair her Dad’s work clothes (he was a carpenter). She learned to work on the family sewing machine and they are still sewing together. The machine is 2 years older than she is!  She loves making clothes, housewares, and quilts.  Mending as part of the Repair Fair tickles her sustainability passion. She’s glad to keep beloved, quality clothing and household linens in use by sharing her sewing skills.

This event is made possible with generous support from the DuPage Foundation. If you’d like to support community events like this one, consider making a donation to SCARCE at www.scarce.org/donate. If you would like to be involved as a repair-person for this event (or future events), please email Emily at [email protected] for more information. Thank you!