Downers Grove, Ill. (CBS) – Typewriters can be found in antique shops, collectors’ homes, and maybe on a street corner with a poet. Although they may seem ancient to some, they have been making a comeback. Taylor Swift even brought them back in her most recent music video. CBS 2 discovered a typewriter repair business in the west suburban Downers Grove that is keeping at least one young man busy.
Every clack of the typewriter keys seems to transport one back in time, but Lucas Dul works on these vintage machines in the present. “I really enjoy these ones in particular,” Dul said. He is passionate about history and all the pieces of it, including the old machines. With about 70 to 80 typewriters cluttering the shelves of his workshop inside his parents’ home in Downers Grove, the 24-year-old has been tinkering with typewriters since he was 14. At 20, he started a business called Typewriter Chicago, finding a way to profit from the renewed popularity of typewriters.
To Dul, restoring a typewriter involves more than just fixing mechanical issues. He ensures that the machine not only functions like new but also retains its vintage charm. Dul attributes a lot of the repair work to intuition but acknowledges that there is an artistry to the process. In addition to typewriter repair, Dul is an artist known for his doodling and photography. Photographing typewriters is a favorite subject for him, and pictures of these machines fill his phone, much like the real ones fill his parents’ house.
As his business grows, Dul plans to relocate and expand his operations, recently signing a lease for a new space to open his shop. With an eye for artistry and a knack for restoring old into new, Dul is poised to continue making a mark in the world of typewriter repair and restoration. He also sells refurbished typewriters and anticipates opening the new shop in Downers Grove in early May.