Where once we might have jettisoned broken or ill-fitting items as if they were junk, now it is easy to find experts to carry out repairs or alterations – and all for a reasonable price, writes RUTH O'CONNOR
THEY SAY THAT a stitch in time saves nine, but if you didn’t quite get a chance to make the necessary repairs, it’s never too late to put things right. It’s not just Bob the Builder and Barack Obama who can fix things, there are people all around us who can repair almost anything, from furniture to old radios, computers and iPods to antique clocks.
One of these is Eamon Corrigan, who owns the Alteration Centre on Dublin’s South Anne Street (01- 6776258). The business, which opened in 1964, used to be run by Michael Cleary. Corrigan’s Alteration Centre is well regarded among the clothing and costume fraternity. There is very little they can’t do and, as Corrigan says, they will always try to help out a customer “in a bind” if they have an emergency such as a funeral to attend.
The company will make basic repairs to zips and hems at reasonable prices starting at €12 to shorten jeans or trousers, €18 to alter the waist and hipline of a skirt and €22 for a dress.
Corrigan’s team also carries out expert restyling of clothes such as coats and jackets. This service typically costs between €20 and €70 to restyle a jacket, for example. Double-breasted jackets can be made into single-breasted ones, shoulders can be narrowed and vents taken out to update a suit jacket.
Dresses can be changed from flared or A-line to straight, a round neck can be made into a V-neck and puff sleeves can be restyled to straight sleeves.
“We are not miracle workers but we are what I would call designers with a small ‘d’,” says Corrigan. “If a client comes in with a garment and some ideas, we will certainly work with them to achieve what they wish.”
While the Alteration Centre can also mend and alter leather garments and suede, a very popular business for them is adjusting wedding dresses.
Corrigan says that it is not usually vintage dresses or family heirlooms that are presented for updating, but dresses bought on the internet that do not fit a bride-to-be correctly.
With many brides choosing to shop online for their gowns and bridesmaids’ dresses, getting the measurements exactly right can be tricky and often the dresses need to be tweaked.
Corrigan advises brides to leave plenty of time for alterations, as reshaping or refitting the likes of a bodice can be time-consuming.
To avoid such necessity, the Alteration Centre also offers an expert measuring service for just €10. It is well worth the fee if you are planning to save significant sums by shopping for a gown online.
Corrigan says that he hasn’t seen a vast increase in the number of people getting their clothing mended or altered. His business has been steady and he has had regular customers over the past 30 years.
“In the last recession, we would have been dealing with a lot more old clothes,” he said. “There weren’t really cheap high street stores back then. Now we see a lot of cheaper clothing coming in as well as mid- to high end.”
Another business that helps customers to give new life to old possessions is Patrick Glynn Jewellers on Dublin’s Middle Abbey Street (01-8733866), which used to be known as McCabes.
There has been a jeweller here for almost 100 years specialising in the production and sale of jewellery, particularly diamond engagement rings and wedding rings, as well as in expert repairs.
For such an old business, it is remarkable that many of their new customers are gained through Twitter.
Owner Michael Glynn says that while he sees customers of all ages, it is often the older ones who get items repaired.
The jeweller can add a new circular nine-carat gold clasp and chain to a bracelet from as little as €10 while a gold lobster catch can cost from €18 to €100, depending on the size and quality required.
A common request from younger customers is the resetting of precious stones from old items of jewellery such as inherited rings. This perhaps suggests that people are no longer content to have unworn jewellery in their jewellery boxes when the stones could be used in a more modern setting.
A new claw for a ring setting costs about €20 while a stone resetting costs about €40. An entirely new ring made to fit existing stones costs from €400.
Getting a bike repaired is not as glamorous, though it can be more practical in these straitened times.
ThinkBike mechanics have been fixing the bikes of cycling enthusiasts for the past 11 years ( thinkbike.ie).
Owner John Clarke says that many more people are taking to two wheels and that the shop is always busy.
Common repairs include new tubes fitted (€13 for parts and fitting) and new chains (€28 including chain and fitting). The most popular request is for a full service, which costs €40.
“We have a lot of students and commuters because of our location,” says Clarke. “And we open late (and early) as Rathmines demands it. Punctures are also the bane of every cyclist’s life so we offer on-the-spot puncture repairs.”
Clarke recommends maintaining your bike so that you will be able to avoid having to pay for too many repairs. “Keep the tyres pumped, the chain oiled and the bike clean and service the bike regularly to avoid it getting beyond repair,” he says. Clarke also recommends investing in a good lock, such as one by Avis or Kryptonite in order to prevent your bike being robbed: “Avoid cable locks – they’re far too easy to get into,” he says.
ThinkBike operates seven days a week. It is open from 8.30am on weekdays – later on the weekends – until 7.30pm or 9pm on Wednesdays, making it a good option if you’re stuck in work late.
Perhaps the items most commonly repaired are shoes and handbags. Brian Kearns of The Shoe Hospital on Grattan Street, Dublin (087-6308214) says that he has seen a steady stream of people wanting shoe repairs carried out since he took over the business in 1973.
His most common repair is new heels for ladies shoes, which cost €9 upwards. To re-sole and heel men’s shoes with leather costs €35, while a new pair of synthetic heels and soles costs €28. Kearns can also re-sole hiking boots for about €70.
As well as mending shoes of all types and quality, Kearns also fixes handbags where stitching is required. Pricewatch recently had a leather handbag strap glued for just €8.
Kearns has fixed the shoes of Julia Roberts and Liam Neeson in the past and mended shoes for the Neil Jordan film Michael Collins. He has even been asked to scuff up a brand new pair of shoes for Charlie Sheen. So if it’s wrecking or repairs, he’s your man.
