How did you get into typewriters?
During the pandemic, my daughters were reading Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, in which the author was writing a book on a typewriter. My eldest daughter, who was seven at the time, declared that she also wanted to write a book on a typewriter, so we set out to find one. Our first Facebook Marketplace find was a 1940s Royal KMM from a barn in Austin, MN but it was filthy and didn’t work. So, I did some research on how to get it cleaned and working again. At the time, I was worried that it was too old, rare, and fragile to have my children play with it (I know better now), so I kept that one for myself and got her a late 1960s Royal desktop from a local consignment store instead. By the following summer, my younger daughter wanted one of her own, so we found a 1960s Smith Corona Sterling at a local yard sale. As is often the case, things snowballed from there.

How did you learn to repair them?
During the first year or two, I watched a lot of YouTube videos, especially those by the late, great Duane Jensen/Phoenix Typewriter. Over the last few years, I’ve also learned a lot about working on specific makes or models from hands-on experience. For example, I’ve seen the same carriage issue on four or five Olympias so I know how to fix it without needing to do more research.

What do you like about typewriters?
When my children were very young, I loved to blog every day. But as they grew, I had to shift my time and attention to other duties. Now that they are older, when I have free time, instead of writing, I find it very satisfying to bring these fantastic machines back to life. Figuring out where the issues are and correcting them is like solving a decades-old puzzle and it feels so rewarding to get them working again!

The other thing I love about typewriters is helping people find the perfect typewriter. Each machine has a unique look, feel, and sound, so personal preference plays a big part in whether a typewriter appeals to a specific buyer. Sometimes I feel like Ollivander, the wand salesman in Harry Potter, offering each person one machine after another to try until they find their perfect match. Rehoming these vintage machines, especially into households with school-aged children, brings me great joy.

Tell us a little bit about your shop…
My workshop is located near Mantorville, MN, which is about 30 minutes west of Rochester and 75 minutes south of the Twin Cities.

In addition to selling a variety of typewriters (desktops, portables, electrics, manuals, and even some with unique typefaces), I offer them for rent on a weekly or monthly basis. (So far, everyone who has rented a machine has fallen in love with it and decided to buy it!) I also clean and do repairs for people who already own a typewriter. I have a former IBM serviceman working with me so we also clean and repair IBM Selectrics. Several weekends a month, I offer DIY classes at my workshop, where people can learn how to clean their own machines using the same tools and techniques that I use, at a fraction of the cost.

The typewriter workshop is open most weekday afternoons and on weekends, but by-appointment-only.

Do you collect typewriters? How many do you have? Do you have a favorite?
Currently (Feb2026), my collection is at 85 typewriters (but that includes 3 toys and 4-5 parts machines). Right now, I have about 25 fully-functional machines listed for sale on my website. We are always working to get more cleaned, repaired, and listed for sale. I have a hard-stop at 99 (mostly due to space restrictions), but my all-time high was 96. I don’t buy very many typewriters anymore, but I’m always happy to adopt an unwanted machine that can be refurbished or repurposed as an organ donor.

My tween girls still love using typewriters every day. We rotate through the collection, but their current favorites are an adorable Royal Companion and 1950-60s Smith Corona Sterlings.