Brandon Buonaguro — retail supervisor, data nerd, and part-time craftsman. Welcome to my corner of the galaxy, where I share stories of the first things I ever fixed, the lessons I learned from my dad, and how I keep my team sharp on the sales floor.
"A good joint holds the house together, just as a well-planned lesson holds a classroom together." — I stole that from a teacher's log, but it's true. Whether it's a wobbly display case or a broken shelf, every fix is a story of resilience.
When I was 14, my dad handed me a chipped workbench and said, "Make it your own." I spent a week sanding, staining, and reinforcing it with scrap wood. It wasn't perfect, but it was mine. That's when I learned that craftsmanship isn't about perfection—it's about care, patience, and the joy of making something with your hands.
Now, in retail, I apply that same mindset. When a display case wobbles, I don't just tape it up—I figure out why it's broken and fix it right. My team and I compete to see who can build the sturdiest fixtures, but we always respect the craft.
Right now, I'm tinkering with an Arduino project to automate some of the inventory checks. Also, I've been perfecting my carbonara recipe—because let's be honest, a good meal is the best reward after a long shift.
Check out Clifton's "The First Fix"—he's collecting stories of first repairs, and I'm planning to add mine soon. Also, Blanca's work on stitching community stories into concrete is inspiring. We're all building something stronger, one fix at a time.
Got a story about your first fix? Drop me a line. Let's keep the craft alive.