Coming to Portland this week: Type Space

Thanks to the hospitality of owner Antony “Tony” Valoppi, I was able to spend some time checking out Portland’s newest typewriter shop, Type Space. In fact, Type Space is so new that they haven’t opened yet. That takes place this Thursday, July 1 during their grand opening event.

As many of you likely realize, Portland is one of the epicenters of typewriter activity in this country. We are graced with a number of places to buy typewriters and places to have them serviced. We’ve had type-outs take place here in the past and have even had books published specifically to showcase the work of those who like to write using typewriters. In a nutshell, Portland is a typewriter enthusiast’s paradise — a beacon for all things typewriter related and for those who dig these awesome machines.

Yet even by Portland’s standards, Type Space is going to be a real gem of a shop. Upon stepping foot into the newly finished space that somehow manages to feel old and f amiliar in the best possible way, you immediately realize that it is representative of someone who is extremely passionate about typewriters. That pretty much sums up Antony. It’s clear that he has sunk his heart»and soul into Type Space. I could not hide the excitement that I felt while taking a look around his shop and I have a hard time imagining anyone else who likes typewriters feeling any different.

While Type Space will focus on the sales and service of typewriters as you might expect, they have much more to offer. In f act, pretty much everything that you’ll find in the shop is for sale. While Antony might have a few machines that would be hard for him to part with, he’s the kind of guy that would be willing to entertain offers for even his most prized machines. Type Space practically looks like a typewriter museum, but one where you are allowed to try out any of the machines that they have on hand. Or if you are just looking for a place to type and want to bring your own machine in, that’s fine too.

Type Space has a little bit of everything when it comes to typewriters and typewriter-related items. From furniture and books to ribbon tins and even typewriter crates. They also have plenty of typewriter-related ephemera and a variety of vintage stationery. In addition to all of the things that Type Space has for sale, they plan to host group events as well. It is obvious that this space will become a hub for anyone in the area who enjoys typewriters (and typing of course). I’ve got to admit that it almost doesn’t feel real having Type Space located just a few blocks from my home.

From talking with Antony, it became obvious that he is thinking big picture when it comes to Type Space. He has a few more things up his sleeve that I haven’t covered and I’m really looking forward Not only to following their progress as Type Space works to integrate themselves into the community, but also being a part of that progress myself. I was already the sort of person who likes to support local businesses in general, so this is a no-brainer for me.

As mentioned above, Type Space opens on Thursday, July 1. They are located in southeast Portland at 2409 SE 49th Avenue (that is just a few storefronts off of Division Street). Their regular hours will be Thursday – Monday, from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.. Life is good for typewriter f ans here in Portland, come Thursday it gets even better.

AFTERTHOUGHTS: I captured quite a few images of Type Space while I was there and hope to share them in a separate pictorial post later this week.