Apr 11, 2026
If you spend your workday toggling between thirty open tabs, dodging Slack notifications and letting autocorrect finish your sentences, you aren't alone. Many Canadians are feeling a specific kind of digital burnout. In an era where artificial intelligence can draft a memo in seconds, the act of writing has started to feel a bit hollow.
That is why a small corner of The Cotton Factory in Hamilton is suddenly buzzing with the rhythmic clack of keys and the ring of return carriages.
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Jonathan Marshall, known professionally as "Jonny Types," recently opened the Hamilton Typewriter Company. After a decade of tinkering with these mechanical relics, Marshall is offering more than just repair services; he is offering a way to slow down. At a time when efficiency is the ultimate goal, Marshall suggests that the friction of a vintage machine may be exactly what our brains need to produce better work.
The financial case for slow productivity
We often talk about the "time is money" equation. We buy apps and subscriptions to speed up our output. However, there’s a hidden cost to digital sloppiness. When tools make it too easy to delete, edit and pivot, we often spend more time fixing mistakes than we do thinking about the original idea.
Marshall notes that modern word processors can actually encourage a lack of focus.
"Using a modern word processor, my writing is a bit sloppy because I’m able to make mistakes," Marshall said in an interview with CBC Hamilton (1).
When you sit down at a manual machine, the stakes change. You cannot simply hit backspace. This forced intentionality creates a different kind of value — one rooted in high-quality, focused thought rather than high-volume, distracted clicking. For a freelance writer, student or entrepreneur, the discipline required to use a typewriter can translate into sharper communication skills and a more disciplined mind.
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A growing community of collectors
You may think typewriters are exclusively for retirees or "nostalgia junkies," but the demographics tell a different story. Marshall’s opening drew over 200 people, with inquiries coming from as far away as the Northwest Territories.
"Typewriters, for the longest time have been sort of relegated to attics, basements, crawl spaces and thrift shops. What I wanted to do is give them a place where people could come in and interact with them," Marshall said.
The surge in interest coincides with a broader cultural pushback against generative AI. As Rachel Spence, a typewriter shop owner in Nova Scotia, told CBC News (2), writing without the crutch of autocomplete allows for greater creativity. It also teaches a vital life lesson: making mistakes is part of the process.
How to start your analog journey
If you are looking to diversify your "productivity portfolio" with some vintage hardware, Marshall suggests a low-barrier approach. You don't need to spend thousands on a rare antique to reap the benefits.
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- Research the look and feel: Look at models like the Corona, Olivetti or the Royal Arrow. Marshall describes the best keys as feeling "like butter."
- Check the local market: Marshall frequently scours thrift stores and resale sites across the Greater Toronto Area, Niagara and Kitchener-Waterloo. He finds roughly a dozen machines hitting the market every month.
- Prioritize maintenance: If you find a machine in a basement, it may need professional help. Marshall’s shop functions as both a museum and a clinic to get these machines back into "working order."
Protecting your investment
Once you have acquired a machine, maintenance is surprisingly straightforward. Unlike a laptop, you’ll never have to worry about a battery dying or a software update slowing your system down. Marshall recommends regular dusting and keeping the machine in a dry environment free of moisture.
The best way to keep a typewriter healthy is simply to use it. These machines were engineered for daily labor, not for sitting on a shelf as a static decor piece.
In a world that demands we move faster, there is a quiet, rebellious power in choosing a tool that forces us to move slower. By reintegrating these machines into our daily routines, we aren't just preserving history—we are reclaiming our attention.
"My ultimate goal is just to have these machines re-enter our daily life and routines," Marshall said.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CBC News Hamilton (1); CBC News (2)
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Leslie Kennedy served as an editor at Thomson Reuters and for Star Media Group, followed by a number of years as a writer and editor and content manager in marketing communications, before returning to her editorial roots. She is a graduate of Humber College’s post-graduate journalism program and has been a professional writer and editor ever since.
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