Gramercy Typewriter Company
Gramercy Typewriter Company
108 West 17th StreetNew York, NY 10011
212 674 7700
gramercytypewriter.com
Tu-F 10am-7pm; Sa 10am-3pm
With its bright storefront accentuated by wide windows that show off a line of vintage typewriters, Gramercy Typewriter captured our attention at first glance. Created in 1932, this third-generation family-run business has continued to shine throughout changing neighborhoods and technological advances due to the ingenuity, passion, and dedication of the Schweitzer’s.
Paul Schweitzer began to work with his father, Abraham, in 1959, and always remembered being interested in typewriters. Today, he runs Gramercy Typewriter with his son, Jay, and their work day consists mainly of servicing, fixing and selling typewriters. For them, typewriters are more than just machines. They pride themselves in knowing the unique stories of each of the re-conditioned vintage typewrites from various eras showcased in their store. In recent years they have noticed a resurgence of typewriters, which they attribute to the fact that people “like to hear and see the words hitting the paper” and that typewriters “minimize distraction.” This resurgence has drawn interested newcomers into their store who, alongside clients that they have maintained for decades, constitute the ever-growing diverse clientele that the Schweitzers have shared their love of typewriters with since the beginning.
The Schweitzers are optimistic about their business and look forward to the future. “In the early 1990’s when type writers were put aside and the computers were on every desk, we were still busy throughout the worst of times… now with tech at everyone fingertips, we are busier than ever.” Learning how to service HP laser printers as well as other office machines was crucial for them in the early 90’s, but with the designed obsoleteness of current-tech, people are valuing long-lasting, beautiful machines more than ever. “With the type writer, you can have that one machine for decades, and then wind up passing it on to someone else. This is something that can certainly withstand the passage of time and never become outdated.”
