Gregory Visnyai and his twin brother Michael work on a typewriter. Submitted photo.

Do you have a dusty typewriter sitting in your basement thinking it will never be used again? Two Elyria twins are trying to give a new lease on life for neglected typewriters.
Gregory Visnyai, who is majoring in communications, and his twin brother Michael Visnyai, majoring in applied mathematics, fix broken typewriters at budget-friendly costs.
The LCCC students’ love for typewriters started when they saw one being used as a prop in a WWII open house. Then halfway through tenth- grade at First Baptist Christian Church in Elyria, the twins, for the most part, only used typewriters.
“It just started to click and we wanted to use them. When writing you can’t go back and fix it- you are forced to keep going. It forces you to make progress,” says Gregory.
Their repair business started at an antique shop when they met a man who sold typewriters. Due to typewriters not being as popular it can make things difficult when it comes to repairing the machine. “We have to take the steps cautiously and really be sure in what we’re doing,” Michael says. Some common problems they come across are rust, missing parts, and cracked feed rollers. When they can’t find a missing piece, they improvise. They use springs from old printers, look on eBay or use rubber tubing but it can’t always be reliable, they said.
However, they are not completely opposed to computers and other modern-day technology. Michael says, “Technology is a great thing. It doesn’t cost as much but I prefer the connection with the typewriter.” With their love of typewriters, they are hoping to grow their business. They would like to either have it as a full-time or part-time job in the future.
It takes them a couple of weeks to a month to repair a typewriter due to school but when they are free it only takes them a couple of days.
They are promoting their work by posting business cards on area public bulletin boards, but hope to go to antique stores and give sale pitches to those in need of repairing.  The fee is $30 for portables and $40 for standards, though it could cost more if parts need to be replaced.
Gregory says, “We are willing to work out a price that a client could afford. We strive to make typewriter repair affordable.” If you are interested in having your old typewriter repair you may contact Gregory and Michael at info@visnyaitypewriter.com or at 440-316-2137.