Antony Valoppi, owner of Type Space in Southeast Portland’s Richmond neighborhood, was packing up his shop Wednesday when a message landed in his email inbox.
A manager for Tom Hanks let Valoppi know the Oscar-winning actor was interested in stopping by the store, which sells vintage typewriters.
“I emailed back, ‘Hey, I can close the shop, I can open early, I can do a private viewing… I can do whatever you want,’” Valoppi said. “And his manager responded, ‘He’s so much easier than that; don’t even worry about it.’”
But worry he did. Valoppi stayed up into the early morning Thursday, only getting a few hours of sleep before returning to the shop. Valoppi said he knew about Tom Hanks’ passion for typewriters, and figured the visit was a possibility when he learned Hanks would be in town to promote his new novel.
Hanks showed up around 1 p.m., security in tow, but quickly waved them away when he met Valoppi.
“Tom didn’t even wait, he just popped out of the side of the car, right up to the sidewalk with his hand out and says, ‘Hey Tony, I’m Tom,’’’ Valoppi said. “Like I wouldn’t know who he was.”
Valoppi said their conversation did not delve into Hollywood and the “Forrest Gump” star’s acting career, but focused on the machines both men share a passion for. Hanks’ collection of typewriters stands about 200 strong, Valoppi said, and Hanks told him he uses every one.
Hanks passed on some of the rarest items in Valoppi’s shop and opted for a more practical typewriter, finding one at Valoppi’s shop that he struggled to find at other stores across the country.
“They were gearing up to head out after about an hour, and he made a comment that one of his favorites was a Smith Corona,” Valoppi said. “I just happened to have a Clipper sitting on the floor, and he told me he’d been looking for one for so long.”
Hanks walked out with the $185 Smith Corona Clipper and a gold watch Valoppi gifted him from his collection. Valoppi said Hanks’ role in the 1980s sitcom “Bosom Buddies” helped get him through tough times as a 12-year-old boy and that the zany nature of the show’s premise — two male friends dress as women in order to room together at an inexpensive women-only rooming house — “made life tolerable.”
Valoppi added that Hanks lived up to his reputation as one of the nicest Hollywood personalities.
“I’ve met celebrities before at restaurants and stuff like that, and they had ego,” Valoppi said. “He had none of it. Rather than meeting Tom, I just met a really great guy.”
Now others have a reason to visit the store off Southeast Division Street. Hanks promised to send a signed typewriter from his own collection.
– Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; 503-319-9744
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