Timeless Typewriters: A Revival in the Digital Age

Typewriters remain surprisingly relevant in certain sectors of the United States, even in 2025, over 150 years after the introduction of the first commercially successful model. Mike Marr, who owns Marr Office Equipment in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, repairs 20 to 25 typewriters weekly, indicating surprisingly high ongoing demand. His customers include businesses like law firms and real estate agencies that appreciate the typewriter for its reliability, legibility, and security, as it is not susceptible to hacking.

Marr’s business was founded in 1953, and he employs three people to help manage the repairs and servicing, which addresses a niche market. Typewriters are still used for essential tasks such as typing cheques and legal documents, with prices for replacement ink ribbons around $5, significantly lower than computer ink cartridges. Enthusiasts, such as Lisa Floading, who owns 62 typewriters, or novelist Anjali Banerjee, who possesses 80 and notes a creative boost from using them, contribute to this enduring culture. 

Moreover, companies like Royal continue to manufacture typewriters, producing around 20,000 new electric models and over double that number of mechanical ones each year. Demand persists partly due to the aesthetic appeal of typewriters, with models priced between $300 and $400. Typewriter repair businesses still thrive, as evidenced by Jim Riegert, who sells electric models to institutions such as prisons.

While the typewriter industry has seen significant decline, certain businesses and individuals keep the legacy alive, suggesting that as long as people value the tactile experience and functionality of typewriters, the tools will neither be forgotten nor completely obsolete.

Source: BBC