[projekktor id=’20628′]
Typewriters went the way of the dinosaur once computers were invented, but they are slowly making a comeback. The look and craftsmanship of early typewriters appeals to collectors, and people looking for a different way to write letters.
Also, recent computer hacks have even turned people back to the typewriter.
Nick Kadaak is passionate about typewriters. “The sound is very nice, crisp sound, louder than others. Some have a bell tell you when you’re at the end of the line.”
In his Hamilton shop on Upper James, he has over 150 typewriters. His oldest one is from 1892. “It still works…can’t get ribbon for it but it’s in working condition.”
Above Starbucks on Locke Street is Quills, an invitation and stationary shop. Owner Jenn Lewis says typewriters are making a comeback! “Big time. A lot of people come in. They want to buy them, want to type on them.”
She even started a typewriter club called the ‘Locke Street Lettering Society. “People are realizing they’re not going to find a box of cellphones with their grandparents love texts on them. They want to write a letter and find it many years from now and read it.”
The Locke Street Lettering Society started in March, and on the first Thursday of each month they meet at quills to type letters. “We have people all walks of life come in and tell us about a typewriter they have and still use…hipsters to regular people.”
With the Wikileaks, and the recent Ashley Maddison hack, Jennifer and Nick say more people are buying typewriters because they can’t be hacked.
And there’s just something special about how they sound.
