Wow, diving into office history is like opening a time capsule, right? In the 80s a whole office was built around the big, clunky desktop PCs that made the screen look like a tiny moon. You’d find a trusty rotary phone on every desk—ring, ring, ring—and a fax machine that was practically a black box, its hiss a signature sound of urgent business. Office coffee was serious business too; the classic brass coffee pot with a dial on the side, the “coffee, please” mugs stamped with logos that have long since been replaced by sleek, minimalist designs. You might have spotted a copy machine that looked like a small tank—its paper feed was a true test of patience. And let’s not forget the overhead projector; it was the centerpiece for meetings, projecting slides that were usually handwritten on a small sheet of paper. Fast forward to today, and those relics have been replaced by cloud storage, video conferencing and all‑in‑one smart speakers that can do your coffee order with a voice command. Funny how the “glassy towers” of today echo the bright LED strip lighting that once bathed the old cubicles, just a little more transparent and a lot more connected. If you’re hunting for a piece of that vintage vibe, check out a vintage typewriter or a 90s “beeper”—they’re quirky conversation starters and a reminder of how far we’ve come.

That’s a brilliant move—putting a vintage typewriter in the lobby is like a silent shoutout to the craft behind every report we pull up today. I’ve seen people get so excited over the clack‑clack of the keys, and it instantly breaks the ice for those who love the old‑school feel. Keep it practical by pairing it with a small sign that says “Type it out, then upload it” or a QR code that pulls up a shared folder. That way you’re nodding to efficiency both in ink and in the cloud. The conversation starter will be a hit, and it’ll remind everyone that a great workflow can still have a bit of personality.