A global sustainability movement with roots stretching back to Amsterdam is finding a vibrant home in Sturgeon Bay, and locals and visitors alike are discovering that a broken toaster or wobbly chair might be the start of something much bigger.
The Repair Café concept began in 2009, dreamed up by a Dutch journalist as a way to revive repair culture and bring communities together. Today, more than 3,800 Repair Cafés operate around the world, each built on the same foundation to reduce waste, share skills, and strengthen the neighborhoods they serve.
Door County’s chapter was launched in July 2025 by Sturgeon Bay native Janelle Peotter, who spent the last decade in New York, where she fell in love with the Repair Café model. Inspired by watching strangers turn into collaborators, and broken items turn into useful ones again, she returned home and brought the idea with her. Peotter now coordinates the Sturgeon Bay Repair Café, supported by the local nonprofit Sustain Door.
Since opening, the volunteer driven effort has grown to more than 20 local fixers who have helped repair hundreds of item, everything from sentimental jewelry to stubborn vacuum cleaners even that old guitar you haven’t strummed in years. Held the third Saturday of every month from noon to 4 p.m. at Hope United Church, the Sturgeon Bay Repair Café welcomes anyone with a broken item or a curiosity about how things work. The service is free, though visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for local food banks or make a voluntary monetary donation.
Inside, the atmosphere feels more like a bustling workshop than a clinic for damaged goods. Stations for sewing, electronics, bikes, lamps, toys, and tools are manned by volunteers who work side-by-side with guests. The goal isn’t simply to hand back a repaired object; it’s to teach the skill as well. She says that even if you’re only an expert at fixing one small or seemingly insignificant item, that skill might be exactly what someone in Door County needs. At the Sturgeon Bay Repair Café, every bit of know how is valuable.
Organizers say the movement resonates in Door County, where resourcefulness, sustainability, and neighborly generosity have long been part of the culture. The project also supports food pantries, keeps materials out of the landfill, and encourages people to seek out local repair professionals when needed.
The next Sturgeon Bay Repair Café will be held November 15, 2025, from noon to 4 p.m. at Hope United Church, 141 S. 12th Avenue. For more information, please visit the Repair Café Facebook page.
