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All the United States Pennsylvania Coraopolis Fraley's Robot Repair

Fraley's Robot Repair

A retrofuturistic art installation in the Pittsburgh Airport.

Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

Added By
toby fraley
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Been Here
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Robots mid-repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Robots mid-repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Fraley’s Robot Repair storefront.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Retro accoutrements.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Robot Head   Ahuntley / Atlas Obscura User
Love it!! Next time around robots!!!  
Retro accoutrements.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Robot repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
“If your robot is behaving violently…”   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Robot parts.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
A robot separate from his legs.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
A robo workstation.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Fraley’s Robot Repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
A broken robot.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Fraley’s Robot Repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Violent Robots must be powered off before entering repair shop   utahcon / Atlas Obscura User
Interior detail of Fraley’s Robot Repair.   toby / Atlas Obscura User
Robot head with Blinky eyes, repair status unknown   utahcon / Atlas Obscura User
  Ahuntley / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
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Added to list

About

Between gates A10 and A12 in the Pittsburgh International Airport, one shop stands out from the rest. Fraley's Robot Repair appears to be straight out of the 1950s with its streamlined electric blue interior, but its goods are straight out of the future: dozens of disassembled robots dangle throughout the space, their wires exposed. 

The shop has all the trimmings of a midcentury electronics repair shop whose owners have just stepped out. It's the attention to detail that sets the scene, with vintage artifacts and futuristic inventions paired together. Typewriters and chunky red telephones sit next to shelves of paint and tools, while broken robots slump in corners. An x-ray displays a broken robo-arm, while a Robot Repair Manual lays next to an emergency R.A.N. kit ("Robot Apprehension Net").

Nothing is for sale here, and unfortunately, if you do have a robot, you can't bring it in for fixing. This is the work of installation artist Toby Fraley, who rearranges the charming scene inside his storefront on a regular basis.

As a child, Fraley was inspired by his father's Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines, both of which predicted a future laden with jetpacks and hovercars. When he was invited to create an art installation as part of Downtown Pittsburgh's "Project Pop Up," he wanted to create an alternate historical reality in which we not only have humanoid robots, but we take them in for repairs rather than casting them off when they malfunction. 

The shop was disassembled after the project ended, but after a successful Kickstarter campaign, the artist was able to reopen his faux shop in the Pittsburgh International Airport. The shop draws stares from puzzled travelers who aren't sure what to make of Fraley's Robot Repair. When they pull themselves away though, they are generally amused, which is exactly what Fraley intends.

Related Tags

Retro Tech Retrofuturistic Robots Art Airports

Know Before You Go

Located on the airside of Pittsburgh International Airport just past Gate A10.

Community Contributors

Added By

toby

Edited By

Greg Jones, Molly McBride Jacobson, Blindcolour, utahcon...

  • Greg Jones
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Blindcolour
  • utahcon
  • Ahuntley
  • vf467qjzrm

Published

March 6, 2017

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Sources
  • http://blog.americansforthearts.org/2016/08/15/engaging-the-humans-fraley’s-robot-repair-offers-airport-travelers-fun-creative-respite
  • http://pittsburghartplaces.org/accounts/view/1134
  • http://www.tobyfraley.com/robot-repair.html
  • http://www.post-gazette.com/Op-Ed/2013/04/21/The-Next-Page-The-Lonely-Robot-in-Downtown-Pittsburgh-is-breaking-out/stories/201304210168
  • http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-bizarre-statues-or-public-art-in-pittsburgh/
  • http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourcarlynton/yourcarlyntonmore/8399544-74/robot-fraley-airport
Fraley's Robot Repair
1000 Airport Blvd
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
United States
40.495749, -80.256206
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Pennsylvania Coin Operated Gaming Hall of Fame and Museum

Hopewell TWP, Pennsylvania

miles away

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

miles away

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

Nearby Places

Pennsylvania Coin Operated Gaming Hall of Fame and Museum

Hopewell TWP, Pennsylvania

miles away

Museum of Material Failures

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

miles away

West End Overlook

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

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