Wallace Typewriters
1019 O’Farrell Court, Salinas (831) 422-3707; by appointment only
If you think you need to bring a mechanic to settle on a new planet, you might reconsider and instead bring Jerry Wallace. He’s a master of fixing near-extinct machinery. He tried to retire from the typewriter repair business years ago, but his customers wouldn’t let him. So he reopened an appointment-only shop in his garage, where he assembles and disassembles typewriters. He scours the area’s junk stores for old typewriters, mostly on a quest for parts, and has become the region’s de-facto parts supplier, serving a range of clients – medical and law offices, plus some old-school writers. Be prepared to be lectured on proper typewriter maintenance when you show up: If your machine needs attention because you’ve neglected it – a ribbon dried out from under-use, for example – Wallace will know it when he sees it.