Typewriter Repair Shop | Photo by Tyler Bowshier | The Wright State Guardian
TB Writers Plus offers a wide variety of typewriter repair services as well as machines available for sale.
A simple philosophy
Trevor Brumfield, 26 years old, has a passion for solving puzzles. An auto mechanic by day, he likes to work with his hands and keep busy. He familiarized himself with carbureted engines as a side hustle and then began a typewriter business after realizing the lack of such a service in the Dayton area.
Brumfield thrives on a defining trait of problem-solvers: resourcefulness.
“It’s all about making it work with what you have,” Brumfield said.
In a world where many people are preoccupied with superficial appearances, Brumfield cuts through the pretense with his simple philosophy: “Just give a shit.”
He urges people to care and to be passionate about something.
“[An inventor] is just anybody who trips over an idea,” Brumfield said.
Care about it, act on it and then the rest is up to others.
“Everyone will have to reconcile with the fact that you did it,” Brumfield said.
Trevor Brumfield, typewriter aficionado
He understands how crucial the exchange of ideas is to the process of inventing.
“Don’t hoard your own business,” Brumfield said.
He keeps a Rolodex of typewriter-involved contacts across the globe that he corresponds with to complete jobs. Working in an obscure field demands one to make connections with others.
Many of his customers are elderly people whose tremors prevent them from typing on more sensitive keys, like those of computers. Some are doomsday preppers avoiding digital records. He helps people find a machine that suits their purposes, offering advice like a literary caddy.
There may not be an objectively correct pairing of person-to-typewriter, but if one is familiar with these machines as he is, one develops a sense for it.
“You can’t run a marathon in Vans or skateboard in combat boots,” Brumfield said.
Brumfield has a vast assortment of old stock parts organized in large vintage cabinets and hundreds of typewriters he uses for spare parts.
The biggest obstacle to repairing machines that he comes across is rust.
“It’s like cancer,” Brumfield said.
New location
TB Writers Plus has operated out of Brumfield’s house since its launch in January of 2023, with visits by appointment only. However, the growing business will be expanding to a 1,700 sq. ft. space in the historic Davis-Linden Building at 400 Linden Ave. in Dayton, Ohio.
Brumfield expects to move the business sometime between early to mid-December. The main reason behind the move to a new location is efficiency. More space to work means it will be easier to organize multiple repairs at once.
Current prices range from $10 for a new ink ribbon to $175 for a full cleaning. These numbers will likely fluctuate with rising operational expenses, but Brumfield also accepts trades of typewriters for store credit. The shop’s phone number is (937) 522-1022.
