Indy Type Shop

On my first day of driving I stopped at Indy Type Shop, a great new store created by Adam Henze and Siren Hand at 2621 Shelby St., Indianapolis.

Photo by Tony Valainis, Indianapolis Monthly

You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, and soon at indytypeshop.com. They have gotten some welcome publicity.

This block of Shelby Street has come alive with funky stores and good food and drink. Indy Type Shop contributes to the buzz with typewriters, books, and cultural events. Like Philly Typewriter and Type Space in Portland, Oregon, it's not just a place to shop but a community anchor. This is a great model for a modern typewriter shop.

A cozy stage for poetry readings and other events:

Typewriters + books + more ...

The typewriter I bought a few hours earlier was the Royal SX. I had thought that the SX might be a rare model, and I might have an early example:

So much for that theory!

#SX-1497177 was right there on the floor of Indy Type Shop, near a friendly puppy who belongs to an employee:

Indy Type Shop is worth a trip to Indianapolis. You might even get to pet the pet!

Next: another great bookstore.

After that: several posts on QWERTYFEST.

A return visit to TB Writers Plus

Almost a year ago I gave you a tour of TB Writers Plus, located in an 1889 factory building in Dayton, Ohio. I went up there yesterday and saw firsthand how the business has grown thanks to the hard work and intelligence of Trevor Brumfield, his wife Becca, and their employees. There's a new showroom/kitchen and lots of additional typewriters, tools, and equipment, much of it purchased from typewriter shops that have closed down. The shop has customers around the world and is in this business for the long haul.

A major piece of equipment is this ultrasonic cleaner that can handle machines as large as a Selectric III.

Vintage key legends:

This circa-1970 Varityper is one of the more unusual machines on the premises. Trevor mostly works on common models, which are still in regular use more often than you'd imagine. (He told me about a local insurance company that still does all its correspondence by postal letter.)

Another unusual item:

Trevor's office:

In the new showroom you'll find an understroke Remington ...

... and a lovely Rex. Yes, it's for sale!

Here's an Underwood Electric. Nearby was a tricky Burroughs Electric (Trevor said it reflects the complexity and precision of Burroughs adding machines.)

An ancient duplicator:

Trevor helped me with a stubborn problem on this Royal HH.

Customer machines awaiting service:

Although you don't see people in my photos, TB Writers Plus is a people-friendly, family-run place. If you're anywhere near Dayton, make an appointment to stop by!

Hours:
Sunday Closed
Monday 7PM - 10PM
Tuesday 10AM - 10PM
Wednesday 7PM - 10PM
Thursday 7PM - 10PM
Friday 7PM - 10PM
Saturday 4:30PM - 10PM

A visit to Typewriter Chicago

Typewriter Chicago is the brainchild of Lucas Dul, and the second new typewriter shop I've had the opportunity to visit this summer (after TB Writers Plus). Lucas just recently secured a brick-and-mortar location after operating from his home for several years. It should soon be open during regular hours.

I got to stop by on my way to Milwaukee for QWERTYFEST MKE. I've known Lucas online for a while, and my Loose Dog Press published his brilliant book on the Williams last year. But this was our first chance to meet in person.

Lucas at the workbench. He is meticulous about disassembling and thoroughly reviewing machines.

The atmosphere in the front-facing area of the shop is very neat ...

... but in the back, it wouldn't be a typewriter shop without some "chaos" that the proprietor understands very well!

The multitalented Lucas created this lovely stained-glass window.

I know: WD-40! Lucas uses it only for exterior cleaning. In Milwaukee I discussed WD-40 with Bob Marshall of Typewriter Muse, whose view is that the use of this product as a lubricant may or may not be appropriate, based on the environment. In a dusty area, dust may stick to WD-40 and create a problem.

Some less common typewriters on Lucas' shelves include an Oliver ...

... and a very nice early Demountable.

I trust this will be the beginning of a long and successful career in typewriter repair for this young technician. At the moment, he has a waitlist of 79 machines awaiting his attention, but if you want to get on his list or visit the shop, here's his contact information.

Lucas Dul

Typewriter Chicago

1525 Ogden Ave. Unit L, Downers Grove, IL 60515

ChicagoTyperCo@gmail.com 

 (630)-561-5853 

 

Philly Typewriter starts a trade school

We have reached a notable moment in the history of typewriters in the 21st century. Philly Typewriter has just graduated its first certified typewriter technician, Ryan Anderson, and is now officially opening a trade school. Bravo!

"After four years of development and the conferral of its first degree, Philadelphia Typewriter LLC announces the launch of its trade school in Typewriter Restoration. The care and knowledge it takes to restore a typewriter to factory settings can sometimes seem insurmountable, but the mechanics of Philly Typewriter are ready to meet the charge. Opening our four year program focusing on not only the mechanics and aesthetics of the machines, Philly Typewriter will equip mechanics with certifications in machine work, developing focuses on manufacturing and tooling, and produce well rounded and certified mechanics in a forgotten industry as it enters the 21st century. If you are interested in becoming a certified mechanic and can join us in Philadelphia, we are excited to accept your application and look forward to meeting the next generation of typewriter mechanics.”

A visit to TB Writers Plus

I'm currently in the middle of a four-day writing retreat generously sponsored by Xavier Universty. They house 35 faculty at a Marianist retreat center in suburban Dayton, Ohio, feed us, and give us time to write. Of course, I brought my Remington Noiseless no. 7, and it's been doing good work for me.

But I had to interrupt my typing and take the opportunity to visit TB Writers Plus, a thriving young typewriter repair business created by the enterprising Trevor Brumfield. Trevor is an auto mechanic who discovered typewriters only four years ago. When he hosted a type-in last October, he was repairing typewriters from his garage. Since then, he has rented a large space in a historic building, done thorough research on the typewriter repair business, purchased tons of parts and equipment, hired two helpers, and attracted customers from around the country. He is a hardworking, methodical, dedicated guy who is in this for the long run. And his wife, Becca, is a great help!

TB is housed in the Davis-Linden Building, built in 1889 as the Davis Sewing Machine Company factory. The company also began building bicycles in the 1890s. 

Looking up and seeing signs for typewriter repair—and typewriters themselves—gives you a strange thrill, as if you have just entered a story from Backspaces and traveled back into the heyday of typewriters.

Trevor gave me a tour of the building, which now houses a variety of creative businesses.

This wooden floor is indented where workers stood in front of machines over the decades.

The huge freight elevator is hydraulically powered and extremely quiet.

Trevor showed me the various areas of the business, which already has the delightfully crammed and complex atmosphere of a longtime typewriter shop. 

Typewriters from various decades await service or offer parts. A machine is usually serviced within a few weeks after it's received.

These Smith-Coronas were recently cleaned.

The vault holds more customers' machines.

The work tables are well-equipped and well-lit.

Trevor tells me about rescuing an unused platen from an old business. 

I was happy to see these parts cabinets that used to reside in my garage. They were given to me by the owner of a Cincinnati repair shop after it closed, and I gave them to Trevor last year.

On top of the cabinets is a film-winding device that Trevor has modified to wind typewriter ribbons.

One area of the shop features machines that are ready for sale, and a table where people can sit and try them out.

Trevor has studied the paperwork systems of typewriter manufacturers and shops. He uses a laptop as necessary, but also makes intelligent use of paper records, as a typewriter man really should.

Tyler, one of Trevor's two employees, is a senior at Wright State University. He writes poetry, studies philosophy (we had a good talk about that), and creates a zine.

The folks in red from GLD Communications came in to film Trevor and Tyler for a TV spot. TB Writers Plus is getting some well-deserved publicity.

As I got ready to leave, a car from the 1940s casually turned the corner. My illusion of time travel was complete.

TB Writers Plus is located at 400 Linden Ave. in Dayton, Ohio. Make an appointment if you'd like to visit during the following hours.

Sunday 10AM - 10PM
Monday 7PM - 10PM
Tuesday 10AM - 10PM
Wednesday 7PM - 10PM
Thursday 7PM - 10PM
Friday 7PM - 10PM
Saturday 4:30PM - 10PM