Tom Hanks visits Middle Tennessee typewriter shop
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Shared passions bring together all sorts of people. One shared passion has brought together a local man and someone known all over the world.
"Once you get used to typing on it, it feels almost like playing an instrument," said Kirk Jackson, typing on a typewriter in his shop.
Kirk calls the community of typewriter collectors the Typosphere. They're the people who love the history, the story behind typewriters. Kirk collects, restores, and sells at his business, Nashville Typewriter.
In finding even more people in that Typosphere, he decided to send a letter to a well-known collector of typewriters. That certain well-known collector of typewriters wrote back, and decided he'd like to drop by.
"My brain just kind of shut down. I started pacing the house," Kirk said.
That well-known collector was none other than Tom Hanks. He visited Nashville Typewriter in Goodlettsville on Tuesday.
Tom Hanks makes dreams come true for fellow manual typewriter enthusiast in Goodlettsville
When Kirk Jackson of Goodlettsville sent a typewritten letter to movie star Tom Hanks last year, he didn't really expect a reply.
But the manual typewriter collector/repairman thought he'd give it a try — Hanks, after all, is well known for his love of manual typewriters.
Not only did he get a letter back — typed, of course — but Hanks said in that letter that he'd stop by on his next trip to Nashville.
On Tuesday (May 25), Hanks delivered on that promise.
Tennessee Crossroads 3418
Once in a while, old technology enjoys a comeback, thanks to new, younger audiences. Take the vinyl LP record, for example. Well, next look out for the return of the manual typewriter. Hard to believe in this electric-powered, digital world of ours. However, there's a young Goodlettsville man who's playing a big part in the typewriter's revival.
'I don't want these things to die, man': Handyman sets out to save manual typewriters
He's only 42, but handyman Kirk Jackson has always been an old-school guy who loves old stuff.
He collects old oil lamps and old coins. He fixes and preserves old furniture and old machines. He uses roller and hand brushes instead of spray guns to paint houses. He keeps his broken-down 1980 Jeep parked next to his work shed because he likes to look at it.
So it was natural four years ago that he was drawn to an old, dirty case in the Dead People's Things antique store in Goodlettsville during a shopping trip.
Handyman Kirk Jackson keeps most of his 220 manual typewriters in this work shed about 100 yards behind his Goodlettsville home.
Jackson hoped it was an old record player, but when he opened the case, a filthy 1954 Remington manual typewriter was inside. The keys still worked though.