1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: Good morning er. How are you doing fantastic? 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 2: How about you? 3 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: I'm doing great, Thanks very much. 4 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 2: Oh Man, talk about a guy who's been born with 5 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,400 a radio name here, Rolando Pogor. 6 00:00:10,839 --> 00:00:12,439 Speaker 1: Kind of rolls off the tongue. 7 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 2: Yes, you have a book here that is going to 8 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:19,440 be a very big talking piece. And the reason why 9 00:00:19,519 --> 00:00:22,600 is because every generation that I spend time with, they're 10 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,640 all addicted to nostalgia, and this book is so in 11 00:00:25,679 --> 00:00:27,000 tune with where we are today. 12 00:00:28,239 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 3: Oh I really appreciate that. Yes, it definitely has a 13 00:00:32,399 --> 00:00:34,840 vibe with this kind of moment because wherever you go 14 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,640 on social media and the broader culture, people are finding 15 00:00:38,679 --> 00:00:41,200 inspiration for the present in the future by looking back, 16 00:00:41,679 --> 00:00:44,079 and especially you know, and the younger they are, the 17 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:45,920 more into it they are, which kind of gives me 18 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,880 hope that folks in their twenties they're desperate to relive 19 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,560 the nineties and early two thousands. I'm like, why would 20 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,079 you want to go back there? But they want to, 21 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:56,880 so this book can give them a little portal into 22 00:00:57,159 --> 00:00:58,560 a time they didn't get the experience. 23 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 2: Do you think we're ever going to go through a 24 00:01:00,359 --> 00:01:02,560 visual marketing a thing like this ever? 25 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: Again? 26 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: Because this seems to be just a page in American history. 27 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,319 But we're not so visual anymore, you know. 28 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: That is such a good question. I do think that 29 00:01:13,719 --> 00:01:15,519 there is very quietly a. 30 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 3: Revival happening right now in terms of this kind of 31 00:01:19,159 --> 00:01:22,280 roadside of visual marketing. Obviously, it was so important once 32 00:01:22,359 --> 00:01:24,959 upon a time because there was really no other way 33 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,239 to reach people directly when you're driving, other than you know, 34 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,480 hit them with a big sign or with a big statue. 35 00:01:29,599 --> 00:01:33,040 But I think the kitsch value and the fact that 36 00:01:33,239 --> 00:01:35,599 does have this power to compel people to pull over 37 00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:39,120 and look and poke around, I think bodes well for 38 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:39,920 it going forward. 39 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: Putting this book together, what I love is that you 40 00:01:41,799 --> 00:01:44,280 put it in regional areas. In other words, you break 41 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,799 it down so well that that if, Okay, if I'm 42 00:01:46,799 --> 00:01:49,159 going to go into the Southeast this weekend, I'm going 43 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,200 to go see if I can find this right. 44 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 3: Right, exactly right. That was my idea because it's such 45 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,519 a massive subject. I mean, you're talking about thousands of places. 46 00:01:58,159 --> 00:01:58,799 Speaker 1: Coast to coast. 47 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: So I broke it down by region, ten regions in particular, 48 00:02:02,519 --> 00:02:05,120 and then within those regions, I break it down by 49 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,639 roadside quirks, quirky things along the road, the sweet stops 50 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,479 like ice cream shops and bakery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, 51 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,919 the main phase of main street, which are you know, 52 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,840 barbershops and the kind of things that give a main 53 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,439 street its identity and its feel. So we broke it 54 00:02:22,479 --> 00:02:25,360 down this way to make it much more accessible. So 55 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,560 you can quickly flip through the book and get an 56 00:02:27,599 --> 00:02:30,199 idea of what you're looking for in what part of 57 00:02:30,199 --> 00:02:32,000 the country, or you can just read it through. 58 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: The book can be experienced in different ways. 59 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:36,879 Speaker 2: I do love what you do with the movie theaters 60 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,520 because a lot of people in today's generation does not 61 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,159 understand that there used to be a standalone movie theater. 62 00:02:42,199 --> 00:02:44,759 I mean, they survived on their own, and you give 63 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,719 it some love and attention. 64 00:02:46,439 --> 00:02:50,159 Speaker 3: Here, Oh absolutely, I mean I think people do forget that. 65 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,759 You know, we live in many people under the age 66 00:02:52,759 --> 00:02:54,479 of thirty thirty five grew up in the era of 67 00:02:54,479 --> 00:02:57,400 the multiplex and so many other small mom and pop 68 00:02:57,479 --> 00:03:00,719 theaters were struggling or going out of business. And what's 69 00:03:00,759 --> 00:03:03,319 great about them is that aday they are most of 70 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:04,080 them are beautiful. 71 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: The ones that have survived are. 72 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,159 Speaker 3: In great caring hands that are trying to restore them 73 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,599 and are trying to do something special with them. And 74 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,479 I think the more that we can shine a light 75 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:16,120 on those places, the better, because to me, it's such 76 00:03:16,159 --> 00:03:18,879 a great movie going experience to go to a mom 77 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,840 and pop theeedter, or to go to even a drive 78 00:03:21,879 --> 00:03:25,039 in feeder. It takes the movie, which you can watch anywhere. 79 00:03:25,039 --> 00:03:27,240 Of course, you can stream the movie, but to actually 80 00:03:27,479 --> 00:03:31,599 watch it in a special, beautiful architectural environment with history, 81 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,000 with your fellow with your fellow American. I mean, that's 82 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,159 a very special experience that adds a level to your 83 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,319 what would be just a boring experience of watching the 84 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:41,919 movie at home. 85 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,719 Speaker 2: The name of the book, The Great American Retro road Trip, 86 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,199 a celebration of roadside Americana. We'll be back with Rolando 87 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,879 poojol coming up next. Hey, thanks for coming back to 88 00:03:51,919 --> 00:03:55,400 my conversation with Rolando Poojole. I would love to be 89 00:03:55,439 --> 00:03:57,280 a fly on the wall listening to everybody who're going 90 00:03:57,319 --> 00:03:59,599 to talk to you today, because everybody has something in 91 00:03:59,639 --> 00:04:01,599 there too that should have been featured in this book. 92 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,120 Like yeah, like I actually went in there looking for 93 00:04:04,159 --> 00:04:07,000 the giant coffee cup from Charlotte, North Carolina, and it's like, oh, 94 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:07,879 it's not in there. 95 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 3: Oh no, absolutely, you know, And that's that's that's sort 96 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:15,360 of the hard thing about this book is that there 97 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,720 it was so much to include that some things that 98 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,120 make it some things I simply didn't get to. But 99 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,639 I think a lot of those places, for example, the 100 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,680 giant coffee cup isn't there from Charlotte, There are very 101 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,800 similar ones in other places of the country, right, And 102 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,079 so did those places sort of speak to what might. 103 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:33,639 Speaker 1: Not be there? 104 00:04:34,519 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 3: And and what I mean, perhaps something that you know 105 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,720 isn't there, but then something that you don't know is there. 106 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: So I think it can be a very interesting experience. 107 00:04:42,439 --> 00:04:46,759 My hope is that universally this gets you excited about 108 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:47,399 these places. 109 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 3: You go out there and look for the ones in 110 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,120 the book, but maybe ones that aren't in the book, 111 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:52,639 and you go further afield. 112 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, because I mean even when you travel up to Chicago, 113 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,800 that area where they film the Blues Brothers, Oh my god, 114 00:04:57,959 --> 00:05:00,959 people to this day are still in love with everything 115 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:01,399 up there. 116 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:03,199 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely. 117 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,319 Speaker 3: I mean in Chicago is one of my favorite favorite towns. 118 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,000 Every time I go, I find something new. I could 119 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,519 show you this is a radio but I have a 120 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,120 list of places to shoot and photographs in the Chicago 121 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,079 land area, and it's ever growing. 122 00:05:16,079 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: I'm constantly getting. 123 00:05:16,959 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 3: New tips in Chicago is also a great town because 124 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,680 it is the it's to start or to end, depending 125 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:24,000 on how. 126 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: You look at it of Route sixty six. Yes, so 127 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,279 it's very much tied to the whole country. 128 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:30,959 Speaker 2: Would you ever do anything with I ninety because it 129 00:05:30,959 --> 00:05:33,120 seems like everybody talks about that and how it goes 130 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,319 across the top of the states, and there's got to 131 00:05:35,319 --> 00:05:38,120 be a lot of history on that road as well. 132 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: Oh. 133 00:05:38,639 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 3: Absolutely. In fact, I really like those big interstates. People, No, 134 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:44,160 it's nothing on the interstate. 135 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: Well that's not true. I mean you got to. 136 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,439 Speaker 3: Sort of pull over, and the culture builds around those 137 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,439 interstates as well. My ninety is fantastic, especially I should 138 00:05:51,439 --> 00:05:54,519 go farther west. Some of my favorite stops in I 139 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,279 ninety are right in are in South Dakota. You know 140 00:05:57,319 --> 00:06:00,759 the Mitchell Corn Palace Walled Rugg, which is one of 141 00:06:00,759 --> 00:06:04,120 the great roadside stops in America. With those billboards that 142 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,040 promise you a free cup of ice water. 143 00:06:06,319 --> 00:06:08,319 Speaker 1: You start seeing them a couple of states away. 144 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 3: When you finally get the wall drug you're like, give 145 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:14,240 me that freak cup of ice water please, you know, so, yeah, 146 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,120 I ninety is an absolute treasure. 147 00:06:16,639 --> 00:06:16,879 Speaker 1: You know. 148 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 2: I grew up in buildings Montana, so therefore Montana is 149 00:06:20,439 --> 00:06:22,360 still very big in my heart, and I had no 150 00:06:22,519 --> 00:06:24,879 clue that up in Great Falls they have the Sip 151 00:06:24,879 --> 00:06:27,160 and Dip tiki bar. Now that's something that I totally 152 00:06:27,199 --> 00:06:27,720 have missed. 153 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: You know. 154 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 3: I went to Montana about three years ago, and I 155 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,800 did spend a night actually in buildings and shot a 156 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,439 lot of a knee on and signs around yes every 157 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,439 time I would go to When I from the moment 158 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,720 I arrived at the airport embozement, they. 159 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,079 Speaker 1: Were like, are you going to go to Great Falls 160 00:06:43,079 --> 00:06:45,000 to see the Sip and Dip? And I wasn't. I 161 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,160 didn't know what it was at the time. 162 00:06:46,319 --> 00:06:48,519 Speaker 3: It's always a journey of discovery and they're a little 163 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,279 research and I'm like, Okay, I've got to go. So 164 00:06:51,319 --> 00:06:53,680 I told my friends we're reorganizing our trip. We're going 165 00:06:53,759 --> 00:06:55,079 to get to the Sip and Dip. And I'm so 166 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,800 glad I got there because it is something else, like 167 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:02,920 a nineteen sixties style kind of kiky bar with leather 168 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,439 and low lights and cozy and lots of good drinks 169 00:07:06,439 --> 00:07:08,800 and yemmy food, but the fact that behind the bar 170 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:13,079 there is a essentially an aquarium with quote unquote mermaids. 171 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,600 I mean, you cannot make this stuff up. It is 172 00:07:15,639 --> 00:07:19,000 an exceptional experience you owe yourself at least once. 173 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,279 Speaker 2: We won't see things like this in the future unless 174 00:07:22,279 --> 00:07:26,759 somebody really starts investigating or investing in the marketing in 175 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,600 a visual way. But now I have to ask you, though, 176 00:07:28,639 --> 00:07:31,120 will your next book be about what's really going on 177 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,360 on those billboards and all those signs, and that is 178 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,240 misspelled words. They're using misspelled boards to get the attention 179 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,040 of customers. 180 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,879 Speaker 3: You know, it's funny how billboards are just the really 181 00:07:43,879 --> 00:07:46,720 truly it does work. They do work, And yes, and 182 00:07:46,759 --> 00:07:50,759 I do wonder whether that's intentional or whether that is 183 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,560 or frankly, we live in a world where people are 184 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,439 just miss selling things, you know. But seriously, billboards are 185 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,600 a big part of this book, and they're a theme 186 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,519 throughout because they were always so important in marketing, whether 187 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,439 it be wall drug as I mentioned, but then also 188 00:08:04,879 --> 00:08:06,680 other places like BUCkies. 189 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:10,399 Speaker 1: Which is spreading across the country. Uh. And and your 190 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:11,600 question earlier. 191 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,199 Speaker 3: About you know, are we seeing a decline or will 192 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,800 we ever see a resurgence in this style of visual marketing. 193 00:08:17,959 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: I think we're seeing a resurgeon. 194 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,439 Speaker 3: In part because of places like BUCkies that are fairly 195 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,720 new concepts but yet using traditional methods. 196 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:27,399 Speaker 1: Uh. 197 00:08:27,439 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 3: And every time they rep they opened a new place, 198 00:08:29,839 --> 00:08:33,320 they just opened one in Virginia. It's it's major headline news. 199 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,919 And they're using clever marketing billboards, billboards and then creating. 200 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:40,159 Speaker 1: A real experience for the visitor when they arrive. 201 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 3: So I'm actually optimistic about these places and the idea 202 00:08:43,759 --> 00:08:47,200 that new h new business people who are smart and 203 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,080 can look at the way it was done in the past, 204 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,799 can create like a new business model going forward based 205 00:08:53,799 --> 00:08:54,720 on these uh. 206 00:08:54,799 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: You know. 207 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 2: Traditions is a travel channel in touch with you to 208 00:08:57,879 --> 00:09:01,159 do documentaries on this, because this book is for that. 209 00:09:02,759 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 3: You know, they haven't been but if anybody's listening from 210 00:09:04,879 --> 00:09:07,759 the travel channel, you know, a wee can please if 211 00:09:07,759 --> 00:09:09,200 they call you, please give them my mother. 212 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 2: Where can people go to find out more about you 213 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,879 and give you some love? Because you obviously love us 214 00:09:14,919 --> 00:09:17,159 look at this book You've shared it with us. 215 00:09:18,279 --> 00:09:18,879 Speaker 1: Oh thank you. 216 00:09:18,919 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 3: I really appreciate that easiest way to find me. I'm 217 00:09:21,039 --> 00:09:23,840 right on social media my name Rolando Prujol, which is 218 00:09:23,879 --> 00:09:27,679 on Instagram. I also have a substack that's called a Atrologist. 219 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: Just google it, they'll come right up. 220 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 3: And then of course I have a whole site dedicated 221 00:09:32,879 --> 00:09:34,960 to my book, Rolando Pujol Book. But all you have 222 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:36,639 to do is type in my name or the a 223 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:39,480 Trologist and you'll find all kinds of ways to keep 224 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,080 up with my travels. And I love talking to people. 225 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,600 My dms are active with people looking for tips or 226 00:09:45,639 --> 00:09:48,519 giving me tips, and so definitely give me a shout. 227 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:50,279 Speaker 2: Please come back to the show anytime in the future. 228 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:51,759 The door is always going to be open for you. 229 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,639 Speaker 1: I really appreciate that. It was great talking to you. 230 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 2: Will you be brilliant today? 231 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:58,399 Speaker 1: Thank you, I appreciate it.