I hadn't either, Josh, until early in 2016. We started ours last April, although the Repair Cafe in Malvern has been going for over three years. It is actually great fun, with a good camaraderie between the volunteer repairers as well as the other advantages you mention! The
Repair Cafe Foundation is an international movement, headquartered in The Netherlands, but the individual Repair Cafes are managed locally.
Donations have enabled us to buy a comprehensive tool kit for shared use, plus a PAT tester, soldering stations, multimeters, security screwdrivers, tool sharpening machines and some common consumables.
A big part of the ethos is encouraging owners to consider repair, rather than just replacement, and also demonstrate that repair is still possible, even though it may no longer be commercially viable for businesses to provide such services. There are one or two rules and safety procedures, but it's mostly very relaxed and has become part of the local social scene one Saturday a month.
We're always keen to meet new potential volunteers...!