At first glance, it looks like just another cosy art-deco building on Sydney’s leafy north shore.
But step inside this unassuming pop-up ‘café’ in Lane Cove and you won’t find a coffee machine, or the smell of freshly baked treats, but something far more wholesome.
The space instead houses a humble repair shop, with locals lining up weekly to fix broken shoes, faulty electronics, torn dresses and damaged jewellery.
The little-known service, known as Repair Café Sydney North, has exploded in popularity after a video shared by Sydney travel and foodie creator Tika Andhini revealed what services this pop-up provides and why visitors are calling it one of the city’s most wholesome hidden gems.
Running on generosity and goodwill rather than profit, the team of volunteers fix everyday items for free every first and second Sunday of the month.
‘The ladies from the sewing section were so lovely and truly amazing at what they do,’ Tika noted, adding that while the service is free, visitors are strongly encouraged to donate to keep it running.
The café operates from 2pm to 4pm and doesn’t require bookings, though Tika notes that queues can quickly build.
What makes the space so special isn’t just the practical help on offer, but the sense of connection it fosters.
An unassuming art-deco building in the North Sydney suburb of Lane Cove, is home to a local hidden gem – the Repair Café Sydney North offering locals a chance to fix broken belongings instead of binning them
The volunteer-run service, which has operated for the past 10 years, fixes everything from shoes and clothing to jewellery and electronics – free of charge
One of the founding members Bridget Kennedy, who helped start the small organisation with others 10 years ago, still offers her services to this day doing jewellery and ceramics repairs.
Shoes, jewellery, clothing, electronics and household items are all welcomed, encouraging locals to reuse and rethink consumption altogether.
‘We all love saving things from landfill and teaching people repair skills,’ she wrote, as the initiative gained traction and attracted a wave of positive reviews online.
‘I had two lamps fixed there by an awesome elder,’ one ex-customer raved.
‘It saved them from landfill and [we] had a great chat along the way and I love how it positively engages seniors in our community,’ they continued.
‘I ended up having such a lovely conversation with the volunteers and was honestly inspired to give back even more,’ Tika said.
‘This is such an amazing community project for the so talented people who have the knowledge and heart to make a difference,’ wrote another.
It’s a sentiment many visitors echo, and one that speaks to a growing shift across Sydney towards community-led sharing initiatives.
The space operates on the first and second Sunday of each month from 2pm to 4pm and doesn’t require bookings, though regulars say queues can build quickly
Founding member Bridget Kennedy, who started the small organisation 10 years ago, still offers her services to this day doing jewellery and ceramics repairs
Across Sydney, community-led sharing initiatives are on the rise, including The Sydney Library of Things, which helps locals borrow instead of buy, and toy-borrowing libraries for kids
One of those is The Sydney Library of Things, which is a not-for-profit organisation helping Sydneysiders borrow instead of buy.
With locations in Waverton, Lane Cove and Cromer, the Library of Things allows members to loan rarely used items, from power tools and camping gear to party equipment and household appliances for short periods of time.
Coincidentally also founded by Bridget Kennedy in 2020, the idea was sparked by a simple realisation that most households own the same tools, yet use them only occasionally.
Rather than everyone buying their own hedge trimmer or power drill, the library champions a circular economy where items are ‘shared, repaired and reused, saving money, space and waste while strengthening community ties,’ according to their community page.
Across Sydney, toy-borrowing libraries are also quietly booming, often operating through local councils and libraries.
With a library card or small annual fee, families can borrow several educational, age-appropriate toys at a time, returning them after a few weeks so others can enjoy them too.
Toys are checked for safety, carefully tracked to ensure all pieces come back, and help parents avoid spending big on items children quickly outgrow.
Together, these initiatives paint a hopeful picture of a city rediscovering old-fashioned values of generosity and shared responsibility.
In a cost-of-living crisis where sustainability no longer feels optional, places like these aren’t just restoring broken items, they’re also rebuilding a sense of community.
