Typewriter Muse's typewriter showroom with 4 wire shelving units covered with about two dozen typewriters of various makes and models. Underneath the shelving is a row of typewriter cases. On the side of the room opposite the shelving is a table with space for three typewriters for typing tests.

Grand Opening of Typewriter Muse

For about 7 years Typewriter Muse has been operating out of a home-like space, but this weekend they opened a lovely brick and mortar location in Riverside, CA in a nice sized business park with plenty of Doris Day parking right out front. 

Their Instagram account has been documenting some of the move and set up over the past month, but Bob and the gang have unveiled their new space on Saturday, January 31, 2026. 

Bob’s shop is one of the few I’m aware of with a multitude of people (at least six by my count on Saturday) working at any given time. (Most modern shops are one or possibly two person operations.) This means that the cleaning, repairs, oiling, and adjusting can be set up in an assembly line fashion. Machines come into the front of the shop on the left hand side, then move down the left to the rear where they do power washing and platen work in the back room. From there they move back into the main portion of the shop where the segments and internals are cleaned using isopropyl alcohol and long stick q-tips. (This generally means less health and safety issues by not using mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, or other caustic chemicals which require better ventilation.) From there  they stage on a long desk before they go to one of two mechanic’s stations where repairs and adjustments are made before being stored for pick up or placed in the “showroom”  The overall layout is quite well designed for moving machines in and out of the shop.

Unique for many shops, the front reception space has community room for a handful of small desks and typewriters to accommodate 8-10 people for small classes, demonstrations, or a small type-in. The room has been dedicated to local journalist Dan Bernstein. (If you’re in the So-Cal area and are interested, Bob has kindly offered the writing space for small type-in events.)

I drove out in the late morning from Altadena. As a typewriter enthusiast I naturally chose the apropos 71 S Corona route (California State Route 71 towards Corona) before turning off toward Riverside, which is about an hour from my house near Pasadena.

Five lane highway featuring a massive sign over the road announcing the split between the 71 South to Corona and the 60 East to Riverside.
Who’d have thought the great typewriters were in Riverside and not in Corona?

Single story business park building featuring the storefront of Typewriter Muse including a black sandwich board touting the store.

Front entrance at Typewriter Muse with a snack station and small drink refrigerator next to a typewriter table and a ribbon dispenser.

A view of the front reception/writing room at Typewriter Muse. There are several small desks with typewriters and a dedicatory sign on the wall that reads "The Dan Bernstein Writing Room".

The front reception window that separates the reception and writing rooms from the office and repair space in a typewriter shop.

Bob Marshall with his hair tied back and wearing his mechanic's shirt sitting at the intake desk in front of a green Celtic-painted Royal P owned by Bryan Mahoney who is wearing a plaid vest and flat cap. Bob Marshall and Bryan Mahoney discussing a custom painted Royal P.

Typewriter Muse's typewriter showroom with 4 wire shelving units covered with about two dozen typewriters of various makes and models. Underneath the shelving is a row of typewriter cases. On the side of the room opposite the shelving is a table with space for three typewriters for typing tests.
Try out a machine or twenty while you’re here!

A typewriter mechanic's bench with a variety of tools on it and a lazy susan with a typewriter on it for restoration

A typewriter mechanics's station with a Corona 3 on one side and a bunch of long handled q-tips and other cleaning tools on the other side.

A parts station with shelving for a variety of typewriter replacement feet, and miniature drawers for screws, springs, and various other typewriter parts.

Typewriter repair bench at Typewriter Muse with a typewriter surrounded by tools and an anglepoise lamp.

Typewriter Muse has gone old school analog even in their speaker choice.

The rear washroom at Typewriter Muse for cleaning typewriters including a sink and an air filtration station

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Chris Aldrich

I'm a biomedical and electrical engineer with interests in information theory, complexity, evolution, genetics, signal processing, IndieWeb, theoretical mathematics, and big history. I'm also a talent manager-producer-publisher in the entertainment industry with expertise in representation, distribution, finance, production, content delivery, and new media.

24 thoughts on “Grand Opening of Typewriter Muse”

  20. Wow. Is your shop mainly for tuning up and giving typewriters a fluff and buff or are you also in the business of selling some that you acquire?? I ask because my father, who died a couple years ago, had collected 20 old typewriters (only one Electric) over the years, and I don’t know what to do with them. Im only +/- 120 miles from Riverside. Any suggestions?

    Reply

  23. I used to live a few blocks from there! (Now I live in Milwaukee, the birthplace of the typewriter and the Qwerty keyboard.) I’m going to have to stop by the next time I’m in Riverside. Bob gave a nice presentation at QwertyFest up here in October. It will be good to see him again.

    Reply

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