Philly Typewriter in East Passyunk received a special typewriter from actor Tom Hanks. Visitors can see and type on the typewriter during the shop’s business hours.
When Bryan Kravitz, co-owner of the South Philadelphia-based Philly Typewriter received an unexpected package recently, he was hesitant to open it.
"It just came in the front door," he told NBC10. "I got this box... We don't ship typewriters, so we usually don't get typewriters."
Little did he know that the box would hold a classic, 1953 East German Rhienmatall Gs typewriter, signed and sent personally by actor, Tom Hanks.
"I opened the box slowly and realized what it was," Kravitz said. "Well, Forrest Gump just gave me a typewriter."
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Along with the typewriter, Hanks -- an avid collector of classic typewriters -- had included a note, that Kravitz said, read simply "This is Tom Hanks. I'm gifting you with this typewriter. You can do what you please. Enjoy the typewriter. Tom Hanks."
Just how the typewriter came to be gifted to the shop, Kravitz said the only connection the shop had to the actor was from 2018, when a young man came into the store in order to prepare for an interview with Hanks.
"He was very nervous, and he said 'I gotta interview Tom Hanks tomorrow and I know nothing about typewriters, what should I do?'," Kravitz recalled.
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Kravitz said that the shop gave the young man some typewriter lessons, and the shop co-owner recalled that the young man had a "good typewriter chat" with Hanks.
Then, about three weeks ago, this typewriter came in the mail from Santa Monica, California.
And Kravitz said, he couldn't be happier to have it.
"It's just beautiful," he said. "You type on it, you realize how sweet and gentle they were and how wonderful they were to type on. This typewriter is like that."
The typewriter is currently on display at the East Passyunk Ave. shop, and visitors can use it and type on it when they come by.
But, is it available for purchase?
"No, it's not for sale," said Kravitz with a grin.
