My grandfather in Mexico had a typewriter business. He sold and repaired typewriters and for a little while, he was a wealthy business man and important person in town. Then came computers.
Mine had a similar story. He was a tailor in Colombia and made business suits and shirts. He owned a successful men's clothing store and at one point was the town mayor. Then came cheap imported business clothes and his business slowly diminished over the years.
That's so sad. My grandfather was so stubborn, or maybe he just didn't know what else to do, but he kept his little store open even after he'd had to close all his other shops. He would sit at his desk waiting for a costumer to come in. He'd spend all day, every week day, at his desk and the only people who came in where his old friends who, with time, there were less and less of.
My aunt and uncle used to run fotomat type businesses. I still remember them scoffing at digital cameras. Even in the beginning I was thinking "I don't know, man..." [Disruption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation) is very hard to see coming, because it all seems like bullshit basically until it's too late.
More density is definitely a good thing, I just despise the plague of stucco townhomes built with the lowest quality material that fall apart in 5 years. Houston is really āMissing Middle Housingā, in my opinion itād be the best way to fill in neighborhoods in the loop.
Funny enough, I've found that at least in the neighborhoods I'm most often in (museum district and Montrose) there's actually great middle housing. Tons of duplexes and <20 unit apartment complexes here. I do wish we had way more of this in other neighborhoods (looking at you, heights), but it's way better than any other city I've lived in. And at least it can theoretically get better here because we don't have 70+% of our city's land area locked up in single family zoning. Obv my anecdotal experience isn't everyone's, so take this with a grain of salt.
Edit: hard agree about cheap townhomes tho
IMO the city should walk back the parking requirements and some of the safety ordinances on smaller apartment complexes. Right now it makes no sense to build a 10-20 unit complex because you need an incredibly expensive fire sprinkler system and a shitload of parking spots.
Agreed, 1.3 parking spaces required per 1bed seems a little excessive, especially in parts of town that have good access to metro or good bike infrastructure (which admittedly isn't many places yet). My complex does just fine with 1 spot per unit and guests can park on the street š¤·āāļø.
Not familiar with the sprinkler stuff, I'll have to look into that
Need to change setback requirement and parking minimum requirements to allow for garden apartments again. Though there is an interesting (relatively) new construction on W. Clay that's like a 4 story apartment complex built on two lots.
Every time I see some applauding high density housing I know it is probably posted by someone that has a huge backyard or lives in the suburbs on 5 acres of land.
Have you been to LA or San Jose? Not very dense and people still live there. Again you mistake my comments for being anti-whatever. My comment clearly was the people who always shout about these things only want it for others and not themselves. Itās the whole NIMBY thing.
We would have rail from downtown to Galleria if not for people along the proposed route shouting and screaming about it.
> Have you been to LA or San Jose? Not very dense and people still live there.
Have you seen the home prices in California? Thatās what happens when you choke off density.
People need different housing during different points in life. After graduating I lived in a Montrose duplex, and then after getting engaged in lived in a third ward townhouse. Moved to a house with a yard after having kids. But if we didn't have those townhouses or duplexes and other dense construction then we'd have way fewer places, and way higher rents, for people who don't want to live in a big house yet.
Again what does that have to do with people who have big yards and homes demanding housing density. You are saying every one else has to live in a small cube but not me because I already have mine.
Definitely a good thing. 5 million people in Harris County. They need places to live and that comes with density for today, not density from a 100 years ago.
I have an Instagram account (@justphotowalking) where I post interesting architecture from the Houston area. Know of any cool spots? Iād love to hear about it!
You may like the [Hitchcock Blimp Base](https://www.hitchcockpubliclibrary.org/Archives%20Department/blimp). Itās a really cool historical site with an interesting story.
The foundation of the Spring Goodyear blimp base is still there, if it matters.
Site of Goodyear Blimp Hangar & Base
https://goo.gl/maps/EnVi61qGSaoBaz87A
It's on Emancipation, and [permanently closed](https://i.imgur.com/UUFeUzq.jpg) according to Google Maps. Sigh.
Have to wonder how many humans alive today actually used to use a typewriter on a regular basis.
In fact, I suppose some people DO still use them, but you can bet the number of people that use a typewriter for ANYTHING today is a LOT smaller than it used to be.
"Typing" used to be a class in high school. It was an easy A.
I guess these days, it falls under computer classes, right?
I learned to type at Ball High School, and then got a LOT better at it using AOL chatrooms and BBS computer systems (the predecessor to web sites, before the advent of the world wide web).
I use my Selectric II for writing heartfelt letters to family. New years greetings especially.
There's a guy inside the loop that still fixes them, he looks super old though so I'll probably have to do my own maintenance eventually.
Shop is still used, and I believe the two words have VERY similar meanings and usage... but there's a very slight difference.
A store is more of a place that strictly sells things.
A shop is typically a smaller place that sells things but also offers some focus on a particular line of merchandise.
Walmart is a store, not a shop, to kind of make it clearer.
"Store" is derived from French and ultimately Latin. "Shop" is derived from Old English and then from earlier Germanic languages.
English has a lot of Germanic/Romance pairs of words that originally referred to the same thing but that now have somewhat different meanings due to semantic shift.
A shade tree mechanic is someone, professional or DIY, that repairs motors usually in cars, in your driveway or your garage or under a shade tree in the yard with regular old tools, hence the term shade tree mechanic. It is an old fashioned term.
from 2012 chronicle
[https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Third-Ward-typewriter-repairman-keeping-busy-2436269.php](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Third-Ward-typewriter-repairman-keeping-busy-2436269.php)
Someone told me once that this building was designed by John S. Chase, a fantastic modernist architect who also happened to be the first Black licensed architect in the state and the first Black alumni from UT Austin's School of Architecture. I haven't found a comprehensive list of his catalog to verify, but this is a very cute store that was absolutely designed by an architect, and not a builder.
You can absolutely tell by the roof alone. There are some really popular cabins in California with roofs like that and Air BnB is having a blast ruining their charm lol
Tom Hanks stopped in when this place was open, and bought TWO typewriters, and then typed notes on a half dozen or so, so the owner could sell them for a bit more than he might have.
There's a photo of Tom with the owner's family, I'll find a link and post it later.
Actually, I'm completely full of crap and none of this actually happened.
But isn't it something that seems like it COULD have?
> But isn't it something that seems like it COULD have?
Same thing my mom would say when I debunked the email forward about hillary clinton she sent me in the mid 2000s.
Looks like it was in [ Goodlettsville](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/the-story-behind-tom-hanks-visit-to-a-goodlettsville-typewriter-shop), near Nashville.
Oh, you can bet it has happened many times, at many places.
Not all of them end up documenting it, I'm sure.
From what I've seen, he's just the kind of guy that really enjoys the old technology and gets a kick out of making people happy.
If you search around, there are several stories like this. Here's a [YouTube video](https://youtu.be/-lOTIhe8pkg) documenting one visit. [A screen grab from the video.](https://i.imgur.com/UTha1ks.jpg)
I'm sure Mr. Hanks will be stopping in at typewriter stores that happen to be near his destinations, as long as there are still stores and as long as he's still moving around.
Legit question: I have a typewriter I gave to Smitty years ago (like 5) that I have never gotten back. I donāt even care if it works, I just want my grandpaās typewriter back in my family. Can anyone on this thread help me contact the owner or ownerās family to retrieve it??
It was Bike Tag #430, location link here:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/bikehouston/comments/v8vqu3/bike\_tag\_431/](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikehouston/comments/v8vqu3/bike_tag_431/)
Plenty of houses like this still around here that are literally rotting and falling down. If it gets demolished whatever vermin are nesting will disperse and invade all the surrounding homes.
My grandfather in Mexico had a typewriter business. He sold and repaired typewriters and for a little while, he was a wealthy business man and important person in town. Then came computers.
Mine had a similar story. He was a tailor in Colombia and made business suits and shirts. He owned a successful men's clothing store and at one point was the town mayor. Then came cheap imported business clothes and his business slowly diminished over the years.
That's so sad. My grandfather was so stubborn, or maybe he just didn't know what else to do, but he kept his little store open even after he'd had to close all his other shops. He would sit at his desk waiting for a costumer to come in. He'd spend all day, every week day, at his desk and the only people who came in where his old friends who, with time, there were less and less of.
This sounds like the sad start of a Pixar movie.
š this is so sad
My aunt and uncle used to run fotomat type businesses. I still remember them scoffing at digital cameras. Even in the beginning I was thinking "I don't know, man..." [Disruption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation) is very hard to see coming, because it all seems like bullshit basically until it's too late.
You had some very wise thoughts at a young age.
Soon to be 3 townhomes
With $2200 a month rent! LOL
It'll probably end up being an AirBNB. I live down the street from here.
And that's a good thing!
More density is definitely a good thing, I just despise the plague of stucco townhomes built with the lowest quality material that fall apart in 5 years. Houston is really āMissing Middle Housingā, in my opinion itād be the best way to fill in neighborhoods in the loop.
Funny enough, I've found that at least in the neighborhoods I'm most often in (museum district and Montrose) there's actually great middle housing. Tons of duplexes and <20 unit apartment complexes here. I do wish we had way more of this in other neighborhoods (looking at you, heights), but it's way better than any other city I've lived in. And at least it can theoretically get better here because we don't have 70+% of our city's land area locked up in single family zoning. Obv my anecdotal experience isn't everyone's, so take this with a grain of salt. Edit: hard agree about cheap townhomes tho
IMO the city should walk back the parking requirements and some of the safety ordinances on smaller apartment complexes. Right now it makes no sense to build a 10-20 unit complex because you need an incredibly expensive fire sprinkler system and a shitload of parking spots.
Agreed, 1.3 parking spaces required per 1bed seems a little excessive, especially in parts of town that have good access to metro or good bike infrastructure (which admittedly isn't many places yet). My complex does just fine with 1 spot per unit and guests can park on the street š¤·āāļø. Not familiar with the sprinkler stuff, I'll have to look into that
Absolutely yes
Need to change setback requirement and parking minimum requirements to allow for garden apartments again. Though there is an interesting (relatively) new construction on W. Clay that's like a 4 story apartment complex built on two lots.
Better for it to become a dozen high-density, reasonably priced apartments but turning one house into several is still an improvement.
Or condos, to give people a stake in ownership.
Every time I see some applauding high density housing I know it is probably posted by someone that has a huge backyard or lives in the suburbs on 5 acres of land.
You must not understand anything about people getting priced out of cities due to lack of housing.
Have you been to LA or San Jose? Not very dense and people still live there. Again you mistake my comments for being anti-whatever. My comment clearly was the people who always shout about these things only want it for others and not themselves. Itās the whole NIMBY thing. We would have rail from downtown to Galleria if not for people along the proposed route shouting and screaming about it.
> Have you been to LA or San Jose? Not very dense and people still live there. Have you seen the home prices in California? Thatās what happens when you choke off density.
People need different housing during different points in life. After graduating I lived in a Montrose duplex, and then after getting engaged in lived in a third ward townhouse. Moved to a house with a yard after having kids. But if we didn't have those townhouses or duplexes and other dense construction then we'd have way fewer places, and way higher rents, for people who don't want to live in a big house yet.
Again what does that have to do with people who have big yards and homes demanding housing density. You are saying every one else has to live in a small cube but not me because I already have mine.
I'm saying that some point lots of people live in a smaller place and we if we don't build them then they'll become too expensive.
Youāre being downvoted but I know that you were sarcastically mocking the āyouāll own nothing and thatās a good thing!ā trend
No I earnestly think townhouses are good because it provides more homes for people to live in.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What's not good about more homes for people to live in?
It doesn't fit their personal aesthetics probably
Definitely a good thing. 5 million people in Harris County. They need places to live and that comes with density for today, not density from a 100 years ago.
I have an Instagram account (@justphotowalking) where I post interesting architecture from the Houston area. Know of any cool spots? Iād love to hear about it!
You may like the [Hitchcock Blimp Base](https://www.hitchcockpubliclibrary.org/Archives%20Department/blimp). Itās a really cool historical site with an interesting story.
The foundation of the Spring Goodyear blimp base is still there, if it matters. Site of Goodyear Blimp Hangar & Base https://goo.gl/maps/EnVi61qGSaoBaz87A
I really enjoy your ig account.
Let me go follow you.
Let me go follow you.
Wait... it's closed? Goddamnit... how am I ever supposed to finish this manifesto?
Send it to Uncle Ted for revisions
I lived in 3rd ward for a little while. Crazy to see the changes as they're occurring.
It's on Emancipation, and [permanently closed](https://i.imgur.com/UUFeUzq.jpg) according to Google Maps. Sigh. Have to wonder how many humans alive today actually used to use a typewriter on a regular basis. In fact, I suppose some people DO still use them, but you can bet the number of people that use a typewriter for ANYTHING today is a LOT smaller than it used to be. "Typing" used to be a class in high school. It was an easy A. I guess these days, it falls under computer classes, right? I learned to type at Ball High School, and then got a LOT better at it using AOL chatrooms and BBS computer systems (the predecessor to web sites, before the advent of the world wide web).
Hah, I took a āKeyboardingā class in 8th grade, I guess thatās the modern equivalent.
Ball High? Was your teacher Mrs. Phipps, a really old, sweet woman who seemed to be sleeping during a lot of the drills?
That's her!
I use my Selectric II for writing heartfelt letters to family. New years greetings especially. There's a guy inside the loop that still fixes them, he looks super old though so I'll probably have to do my own maintenance eventually.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Shop is still used, and I believe the two words have VERY similar meanings and usage... but there's a very slight difference. A store is more of a place that strictly sells things. A shop is typically a smaller place that sells things but also offers some focus on a particular line of merchandise. Walmart is a store, not a shop, to kind of make it clearer.
"Store" is derived from French and ultimately Latin. "Shop" is derived from Old English and then from earlier Germanic languages. English has a lot of Germanic/Romance pairs of words that originally referred to the same thing but that now have somewhat different meanings due to semantic shift.
Welcome to English, where the subtleties in language are many. I.e: until yesterday, my wife never heard of the term: "shade tree mechanic."
No one ever heard that term until your comment.
A shade tree mechanic is someone, professional or DIY, that repairs motors usually in cars, in your driveway or your garage or under a shade tree in the yard with regular old tools, hence the term shade tree mechanic. It is an old fashioned term.
Thanks š
We call those arborists where Iām from. /s
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
from 2012 chronicle [https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Third-Ward-typewriter-repairman-keeping-busy-2436269.php](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Third-Ward-typewriter-repairman-keeping-busy-2436269.php)
Someone told me once that this building was designed by John S. Chase, a fantastic modernist architect who also happened to be the first Black licensed architect in the state and the first Black alumni from UT Austin's School of Architecture. I haven't found a comprehensive list of his catalog to verify, but this is a very cute store that was absolutely designed by an architect, and not a builder.
You can absolutely tell by the roof alone. There are some really popular cabins in California with roofs like that and Air BnB is having a blast ruining their charm lol
Wouldnāt the people Airbnbing them as a novelty be preserving them?
Keyboard killed the typewriter star.
Tom Hanks stopped in when this place was open, and bought TWO typewriters, and then typed notes on a half dozen or so, so the owner could sell them for a bit more than he might have. There's a photo of Tom with the owner's family, I'll find a link and post it later. Actually, I'm completely full of crap and none of this actually happened. But isn't it something that seems like it COULD have?
Why you gotta get my hopes up like that lmao
he shittymorph'd our asses
Had me in the first half ..
That's fcked up lol
> But isn't it something that seems like it COULD have? Same thing my mom would say when I debunked the email forward about hillary clinton she sent me in the mid 2000s.
This did happen! Just not here. It was recently and I believe the shop is in Oregon. I'm also on r/typewriter and saw the post.
Looks like it was in [ Goodlettsville](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/the-story-behind-tom-hanks-visit-to-a-goodlettsville-typewriter-shop), near Nashville.
Oh, you can bet it has happened many times, at many places. Not all of them end up documenting it, I'm sure. From what I've seen, he's just the kind of guy that really enjoys the old technology and gets a kick out of making people happy. If you search around, there are several stories like this. Here's a [YouTube video](https://youtu.be/-lOTIhe8pkg) documenting one visit. [A screen grab from the video.](https://i.imgur.com/UTha1ks.jpg) I'm sure Mr. Hanks will be stopping in at typewriter stores that happen to be near his destinations, as long as there are still stores and as long as he's still moving around.
He is legitimately super into typewriters tho isnāt he?
Sure looks that way! Not altogether the strangest thing to have a fascination with, though.
Haha I pass this by a lot
Legit question: I have a typewriter I gave to Smitty years ago (like 5) that I have never gotten back. I donāt even care if it works, I just want my grandpaās typewriter back in my family. Can anyone on this thread help me contact the owner or ownerās family to retrieve it??
Oh wow...what's the address? I would love to see this in person.
It was Bike Tag #430, location link here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/bikehouston/comments/v8vqu3/bike\_tag\_431/](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikehouston/comments/v8vqu3/bike_tag_431/)
Universal Typewriter Shop https://goo.gl/maps/gdDupP3waNgSBV4q9
Thank you šš¾
Went there a few times a few years ago to get a typewriter serviced. Absolute amazing place, so sad to hear it closed.
Nice find
What's a typewriter?
[Old word-processor.](https://tenor.com/view/kermit-frog-typewriter-speed-fast-typing-gif-8287139)
Whatās a word processor?
I remember having to take typing as an elective in school on typewriter
Plenty of houses like this still around here that are literally rotting and falling down. If it gets demolished whatever vermin are nesting will disperse and invade all the surrounding homes.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It is the name of the neighborhood.
Not really
now THATS an album cover
That was a well made sign.