Summit Beer Hall patrons take a trip back in time at the keys of a typewriter

With the popularity of computers, email and text messages, typewriters have fallen out of favor.

But just like vinyl records and cassette tapes, typewriters are making a comeback too.

"Anyone under the age of 20 has no clue what it is," typewriter enthusiast Dan Steger said. "They've all got a history. They've all got  a unique time and place. And you don't realize it but typewriters were the basic office equipment for 100 years."

Steger is one of a growing number of people gaining a new appreciation for these vintage machines.

"For a lot of us, we stare at computers all day,"  fellow typewriter enthusiast Chris Bluma said. "So it's nice to come home and look at something that's not a screen."

Steger and a handful of other like-minded individuals met at the Summit Brewery Beer Hall to share stories and encourage others to try the lost art of typing a letter to someone they know.

"People really value getting a letter that's typed," Steger said. "It's so easy to send an email so when you don't, it's appreciated." 

The sights and sounds of the typewriter keys and carriages bring back memories--both good and bad.

"I remember writing term papers in high school and the first few years of college it was a very difficult thing to do," beer hall patron Dave Van Deusen of Roseville said. "Very tedious. Things have improved a lot."

But for those who love them, typewriters make sure a good time is always on tap.

"It's fun to talk about the designs and history of these machines," Steger said. "They are beautiful and interesting." 

Steger hopes to make these "type-ins," as they are called, a monthly event--showing that he's not alone in his appreciation for typewriters.