Will the pendulum swing away from AI? Local purveyors of old-fashioned media hope so.
As artificial intelligence continues to dominate the headlines, a tiny analog rebellion has been building in Greater Phoenix.
We’re not just talking about buying vinyl records. People looking for a digital detox have been searching for ways to express themselves with their hands, from pottery to letter writing. And more businesses are trying to curb customers’ technology dependence: At Trophy Room, a speakeasy adjacent to Downtown Phoenix’s Wren & Wolf, guests must check cell phones and cameras
before entering.
Grand Avenue in particular has been a hotbed for born-again Luddites. Phoenix Film Revival has been holding classes on how to shoot pictures and develop film in its community darkroom for several years. And Nancy Hill, who owns Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printshop, has noticed an increase in people visiting her store over the last several years.
“They all have a great time,” she says of the budding epistolographers. “People love putting their hands on the type and moving things around and creating things.”
Though fads, even analog ones, tend to be cyclical, Hill believes there will always be an interest in learning how to make cards and invitations the hard way. People love the tactile experience of making things with their own hands. Charissa Lucille, owner of Wasted Ink Zine Distro in Phoenix, says there’s a feeling of nostalgia for older generations. For younger people, tangible goods evoke a sense of significance.
“Younger generations have all grown up on computers, tablets, phones,” Lucille says. “They don’t have a printer in their home. So, if you print something out, it’s important.”
Fun IRL
Ready to unplug? Here are some local shops to start with.
Phoenix Film Revival
A community darkroom offering hands-on photography workshops. 1023 Grand Ave., Phoenix, 602-456-0392, phxfilmrevival.com
Superstar Video
Miss renting physical movies? Check out new releases and classics at this store. 4703 W. Olive Ave., Glendale, 623-842-3993, facebook.com/superstarvideoaz
Funkatronic Rex
No apps or screens here. This shop offers the best role-playing and board games. 1343 E. Northern Ave., Phoenix, 602-531-0433, funkatronicrex.com
Penchetta Pen & Knife
For those who want to take notes the old-fashioned way… with a pen and paper. 5555 E. Bell Rd., Scottsdale, 480-575-0729, penchetta.com
