Saturday, December 8, 2018

Open house at Urban Legend Typewriters

We had an open house today at Urban Legend Typewriters.



Our shop is beautiful and enticing ... but would anyone come by?



The "new" typewriters I brought in today include this bright red Correcting Selectric II. I don't repair them, but this one is in excellent working condition (Brian Brumfield had previously worked his magic on it.)





I also brought in this Tower Citation with fantastic circa-1960 styling ...



This '63 Royal Safari ...



... and this Remington Letter-Riter DeLuxe from the late '50s. We don't currently have serial number records for this model. It uses manually-set tab stops (unlike the similar Quiet-Riter, which has a tab set and clear lever to the left of the keyboard). To get access to the tab stops and margin stops, you push down the paper table (marked "Tabulator") and it pops up; then you push it down again to shut it.



And I can't forget this new addition to the shop, a 1954 Imperial 66 with removable keyboard and carriage. Common in the UK, very rare in the US.



To amuse ourselves while waiting for customers, we gave ourselves writing prompts.



Here was my response to the prompt "secret Santa," typed on the Imperial:



Someone came through the door! — but only to drop off this poster for a neighborhood event.



And finally ... yes! We had customers come in to browse, to chat, to buy (the Citation, the Safari, a flat-top Corona, and an unrestored Quiet De Luxe just donated by Dave Brechbiel all found new owners), to pick up serviced typewriters, and to drop off 7 more for work.



It's great to meet fellow typewriter lovers. As a rule, they are creative, thoughtful, full of stories, and friendly.

I leave you with a poem that one of our customers has composed and attached to the case of his sparkling Remington no. 3 portable.




7 comments:

  1. Glad the Royal sold! Wordplay is a fine organization and commend you for your support of them.

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  2. Good to see the interest in Word Play and the typewriters.

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  3. That is a really great-looking space (:

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  4. What a great space! Sounds like it was a pretty good day, too.

    I've been meaning to bring this little feature about the typewriter repair shops in the Twin Cities to your attention - https://www.kare11.com/mobile/article/news/local/kare11-sunrise/mn-typewriter-stores-see-rise-in-popularity-among-young-people/89-617640212

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  5. I love that poem! And when I look at my own Remington Portable 3 from 1929 that I restored to functionality, I agree, they do go on and on.

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