Repair-Ability

Goodwill Industries went bankrupt in southern Ontario; all of their shuttered stores are standing vacant and their un(der)employable-ees thrown out of work. (true story: CEO Keiko Nakamura had 'cash flow' problems in Toronto, one of the 3 biggest cities in Canada.) Recently, China announced it refuses to take anymore of the world's refuse, specifically recycling. And the right-to-repair movement is gathering steam.

So...enter Repair-Ability, a new type of second-hand shop and (re)training centre. Bring your beloved 1940s toaster to us. Our certified Repairman (Journeyman Electrician, Mechanic, etc) will fix its broken leg, check the elements and wiring, and provide a certificate of repair. The handy watch-and-learn Apprentice will clean and shine the toaster, returning it to your loving embrace.

Don't want the toaster? No problem. The Apprentices use unwanted items for practice, as they earn their credentials, similar to the existing Skilled Trades program which starts with Co-op credits in high school. Note that Repair-Ability Apprentices are those over 21 who have aged out of the school system, the mentally ill, disabled, older/elderly, ex-cons, or anyone else finding themselves in need of a job.

Your refurbished items are lovingly displayed on shelves in the stores previously occupied by (No)Goodwill, re-purposing Goodwill's Sales staff, Stockers, Cleaners and Parking Valets, coast to coast, giving them a truly moral and valuable (re)purpose in life. Someone will see your toaster and fall in love with it, and make the commitment to take care of it for life.

Not just toasters--Repair-Ability has an entire fleet of certified fix-it people able to repair small appliances, large appliances, clothing, furniture, bicycles, books, boots and shoes, luggage, and relationships.

Repair-Ability: you'll wonder why it wasn't done on a massive scale before now.