Suzie Fromer, Jewelry; RCHV Coordinator
Repair Cafes: All!
If you've seen April's calendar, you know here at RCHV we are pretty busy right now. Well, 'we' really means 'me,' and it seemed easiest to interview myself for this month's fixer feature, so here goes!
I was introduced to the concept of repair from an early age, as my father specialized in the restoration of vintage furniture and antique woodworking tools at our family's shop, Fromer's Antiques. I was also inspired by my father's craftmanship to learn jewelry making, first as a camper at Buck's Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp and then as a teaching assistant at Dartmouth College's jewelry studio. After college, I earned an M.F.A. in film production from the University of Southern California and worked in various capacities in the film industry.
In 2005, I moved to Westchester, NY for my husband's job, where we have lived for the past 18 years with our two sons. In that time, I have run a food allergy support group, been an outspoken advocate for OIT food allergy treatments, chaired the board of my local farmers market and started my own business, Little Hook Co. Jewelry.
Then in 2019, I saw a post on FaceÂbook seeking volÂunÂteers for the new HastÂings ReÂpair Cafe. I reached out and offered to do simple jewelry repairs; I wasn't sure I was qualified to do repair work but I figured I had some tools, some vintage findings from my antiquing days and some basic jewelry know how, and besides--they had no one else to do it! Well, as you may have guessed--after that very first cafe, I was hooked. Now, as part of my role as RCHV's coordinator, I travel alÂmost every SatÂurÂday to a difÂferÂent cafe to meet the different orÂgaÂnizÂers and reÂpair coaches, take photos for our social media needs and answer questions from people interested in opening new cafes and--I fix jewÂelry! It's hard to pick what the best part of the job is because it is all so enjoyable, but fixing jewelry has truly become a passion of mine. As an added bonus, I've found that doing so much repair work has informed my jewelry design; when you see the same things break over and over you learn what points of failure to avoid in your own work.
I don't get to the Capital Region as much as I would like due to family responsibilities, but I am at cafes throughout Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, and Sullivan counties almost every weekend. I love to chat (seriously, I do!) so please come say hi if you see me at a cafe. I adore this community and this work so much, it has truly been a privilege and an honor to follow in John Wackman's footsteps and try to do his legacy proud.
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