We’ve already seen the growing resurgence of celluloid film photography, vinyl records, and (dare we say it) print. Leo Molloy founded Vintage Typewriters Ireland for the very same love of all things analogue, and to encourage us all to take a minute to slow down, and smell the ink.
“Every time you write with a typewriter you create something completely unique,” begins Leo Molloy. “Each character will leave a slightly darker, or lighter, ink impression, there’s likely to be a typo (or two) and more than a few extra spaces where there shouldn’t be – it certainly won’t be perfect, but that’s precisely what gives it the personal touch to make it special.”
I could listen to Leo Molloy of Vintage Typewriters Ireland talk about typewriters all day. Thanks in no small part to the combination of his soft southern Illinois accent and easy good humour. Although Jerseyville-born, Ireland has been Leo’s home for almost 30 years now, where he lives in Dublin with his wife and family.
“What started out as a backpacking trip around Europe in 1993, with a pitstop planned in Dublin, ended up with me working in a bar, then a nightclub, before moving on to managing restaurants, and never leaving!” For 11 years, Leo managed a stable of independently-owned, successful Dublin eateries.
“I loved the buzz of my restaurant life,” Leo continues, “but when the pandemic struck, navigating the various lockdowns was a stressful affair and it took its toll.” In October 2021, fate stepped in and forced Leo’s hand when he suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage.
“I was one of the lucky few to survive it, unscathed. The neurologist consultant at the time advised me to take a year off. His exact words were ‘Look at 2022 as a recovery year because you nearly didn’t see it.’” Leaving his restaurant life behind him, Leo decided to focus full time on type.
“I’d always harboured a love of vintage typewriters. I got my first one in 1991, as an aspiring young writer in my twenties,” he says with a smile in his voice. “I dusted off two typewriters I had in the attic, went online to find a ribbon, and discovered an entire world called ‘The Typosphere’ that wasn’t there in the pre-internet 1990s. I spun down a rabbit hole and resurfaced with about a dozen typewriters on their way to me via eBay.”
Visiting Leo in his attic-space workshop, I feel like a kid, dying to reach out and fiddle with all his beautifully organised pieces of kit: homemade shelves with holes carved to hold specific tools, a row of stripped-clean aluminium tomato tins holding all manner of items. Watching him bent over a machine, in denim dungarees, flannel shirt and flat cap, I’m reminded of one of my favourite scenes in Toy Story 2 called “Fixing Woody” (look it up on YouTube). As only Pixar can, they capture the magic of the “before and after” process perfectly. It’s so satisfying to watch Woody being cleaned up with all these crafty little gadgets and gizmos – like a form of visual ASMR.
“My dad was always fixing things. Most of the screwdrivers and tools you see here I inherited from him,” continues Leo, as he talks me through the process. “There’s about 2,000 moving parts in a typewriter, but they’re really quite simple from a mechanical point of view.”
It’s most often poor storage conditions that make work for Leo. “Damp conditions can cause surface rust in a vintage typewriter, which is difficult to deal with. It’s also very common to find them damaged by grease build-up. Someone with good intentions and bad information oiled it in all the wrong places; over time, oil combines with dust and gums up a machine, requiring extensive disassembly and a chemical bath before being reassembled and tuned up.”
Is restoring a typewriter like a form of meditation? “Oh yes, absolutely,” he says. “Until I get completely frustrated by the odd one and want to throw it out the window!”
What started as a side hustle is now a thriving business for Leo. “More and more young people are looking for typewriters – as young as nine to 14 years old,” he says. I nod enthusiastically; as the mum of an 11-year-old girl who is a confirmed Wednesday (à la Jenna Ortega) fan, I’ve already agreed to one for her 12th birthday.
“I’m also branching out to develop a typewriting service,” continues Leo. “I am currently typing the best man speech for someone. He’s getting it framed to use as a gift for the groom. I’ve also begun hiring typewriters out for weddings, to be used for guests to type notes for the bride and groom on the day.” What a genius idea.
And therein lies the true beauty of the typewritten note; whatever you write, it will mean something. It will be kept and appreciated. It doesn’t ping, pop-up, or disappear, instead it captures not only the writer’s thoughts but also the time and physical effort they took to type something unique, and tangible, just for you. What could be more precious than that?
Photography: Nathalie Marquez Courtney
This feature originally appeared in the spring/summer 2023 issue of IMAGE Interiors. Have you thought about becoming a subscriber? Find out more, and sign up here.
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