Photo Story: The Cambridge Typewriter repair shop

Apprentice Matt Snyder (R) and shop owner Tom Furrier (L) work on repairing older typewriters, at Cambridge Typewriter, in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA, 24 February 2021

. Thomas Furrier started repairing electric typewriters 41 years ago at Cambridge Typewriter in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and ten years later moved his shop to nearby Arlington.

As businesses and offices moved from electric typewriters to computers, Tom feared that the business would die, but he started seeing the younger generation begin to bring him older manual typewriters for repairs.

He quickly learned how to restore and repair manual typewriters and estimates he repairs over 700 a year.

‘Young people are driving the business, young people are typing rather than using laptops,’ said Furrier. ‘The kids would realize that with analog it is cool because you are using all of your senses.’ ‘They try it and they discover they can type with no distractions, and that is probably the number one reason. You can’t multi-task! It (typewriter) only does one thing.’

VIA EPA-EFE/CJ GUNTHER

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