NoHo Luggage Repair Shop for Away Bags on Lafayette St

Away's NoHo store, at 364 Lafayette St in Manhattan, is the brand's flagship and the most central place in the city to take an Away suitcase whose zipper has split or whose spinner wheel wobbles after a long-haul flight. The store page lists luggage repairs and maintenance for Away luggage, and the doors open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. Like every Away shop, it works only on the brand's own bags, so owners of other labels should read the section further down before making the trip.

Away names NoHo as its flagship on the store list, and the shop occupies a ground-floor space on Lafayette Street near the corner of Bond Street, a short block that gives the store its email address. The location suits a repair stop: it is a few minutes from the subway lines that serve Midtown, Brooklyn and Queens, so a commuter can bring a damaged case in on the way home without crossing a river.

New York has two Away stores, and the second is across the East River in Williamsburg. Both pages promise the same core services, so the choice comes down to which is easier to reach. Travelers staying in Manhattan hotels from SoHo up to Union Square will usually find the flagship the quicker trip.

The coverage behind the repair counter is LifetimeCare, Away's warranty for every suitcase it sells. According to the policy page, it pays for fixing functional damage caused either by a manufacturing defect or by the ordinary chaos of travel, from airline mishandling to drops and rough handling. The list of parts is practical: wheels, zippers, locks, handles and the trolley system. The NoHo FAQ notes that repairs are free for the first five years and continue for the life of the suitcase, and in-store repairs stay complimentary.

A few things sit outside the plan. Cosmetic marks that leave the case working, such as scratches, scuffs, dents and stains, are not repaired, and the policy does not apply to lost or stolen bags. If a case cannot be fixed within its first five years, Away replaces it once. Shoppers buying a new case can pay $35 for LifetimeCare Pro, which allows up to two replacements across ten years.

Away's policy page asks owners to get in touch ahead of a visit so the team can judge whether the repair can happen in the store. Mention the size and shell material, and attach a photo of the broken part. A torn zipper or a cracked wheel is a routine request; a handle stuck halfway inside the shell may call for more time or the mail-in route.

Take everything out of the case before leaving home. Staff often have to unzip the lining to reach the screws that hold a wheel housing or the base of the handle, and it is much quicker with an empty shell. If a wheel or slider has broken off, bring the pieces. Weekday mornings after the 11am opening are usually the quietest, and Saturday afternoons, when downtown shoppers pour along Lafayette and Broadway, are the busiest.

If the shop cannot finish the job, Away has two fallbacks. A do-it-yourself kit, sent with a tutorial, covers simple swaps at home. Mail-in repair includes shipping both ways at no charge. Anyone flying out in a day or two should ask the staff directly whether the case is fit to travel as it is.

Plenty of New York luggage is not Away, and the city has proper benches for it. Modern Leather Goods, a few blocks south of Herald Square, is authorized by Tumi, Samsonite, Briggs & Riley and other makers and does many repairs while you wait. Altman Luggage on Orchard Street on the Lower East Side handles counter repairs and opens on Sundays. RIMOWA owners can try that brand's SoHo store on Mercer Street, a short walk west.

Repairs share the floor with the rest of the brand's lineup. Shoppers can compare carry-on and checked sizes in polycarbonate and aluminum, along with soft bags and packing accessories. With a luggage purchase, staff do same-day foil printing on luggage tags. The store also offers same-day courier delivery for purchases and call-and-collect orders by phone or email, though it cannot fulfil orders placed online.

Ask questions while you are there. The team can show how the newer models' wheel housings and handle tubes come apart, which helps when deciding whether a future fault can be fixed with a home kit or needs a store visit. It also shows which parts are worth inspecting at the baggage carousel before you leave the airport.

NoHo, short for North of Houston, is a district of cast-iron loft buildings that were warehouses and factories in the nineteenth century. Bond Street, right by the store, is lined with some of the best preserved. A few blocks north, the Merchant's House Museum on East Fourth Street keeps a family home of the 1830s furnished as it was, and the Public Theater, which launched Hamilton, faces Astor Place at the top of Lafayette.

To the west, Washington Square Park and its arch are about a ten-minute walk away, with chess tables, musicians and the fountain at the center. Heading south across Houston Street brings you into SoHo, where Broadway and the cobbled side streets fill with shops.

Away NoHo, at 364 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012. Hours: Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm, Sunday 12pm to 6pm. Email: bond@awaytravel.com. Getting there: the Bleecker Street station on the 6 and the Broadway-Lafayette Street station on the B, D, F and M lines are both a short walk away. Repairs and maintenance cover Away luggage only.

LifetimeCare covers functional damage to wheels, zippers, locks, handles and the trolley system at no cost, and in-store repairs remain free. Cosmetic wear and lost or stolen bags are excluded. LifetimeCare Pro costs $35. For coffee nearby while the team looks at a case, ask the Karpo APP for a café that is open now.