The carnage in Detroit (and so many other U.S. cities), where hundreds of gorgeous industrial buildings are either wasted by neglect or outright demolition, need not always happen. Since the 1970s, hundreds of historic industrial buildings have found new uses as offices, apartments and shopping centers. One use that is often overlooked is manufacturing. But [...]

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He was the hot tomato of the 1970s brunch, Snap E Tom. But when did this tomato juice mascot disappear from grocery shelves? Snap E was a product of the Pioneer Ortega Chili Company, and later Heublein, from what I can find. Made with chile peppers, onions and tomatoes, it was a Bloody Mary mix [...]

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LONDON – There are few trademarks more remembered than London’s Routemaster buses, and their recent revitalization is proof that moving vehicle programs can become historic landmarks in and of themselves. (At right, a beautiful American family enjoying the upstairs in 2004). The Routemaster dates from 1956, and since then it has become a classic. It [...]

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The idea behind a brand is to turn a commodity into a special thing. And what is more commodity than concrete; concrete is cement and sand, right? Such was the genius of Gene Winchester, who created Quikrete brand concrete mix in 1952 in Columbus, Ohio. Now headquartered in Atlanta, the brand is trusted by do-it-yourselfers [...]

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PALM SPRINGS – Any person who owns a silly little motel by the side of the road ought to look at Hope Springs Motel Resort in Palm Springs, California. It’s an utterly nondescript motel that has turned into a Travel & Leisure favorite. The recipe? A hip approach, minimalist design and ultra clean rooms. While [...]

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Consumers need a story. I am reading about neuromarketing, the science of looking at brains and connecting it with consumer behavior, after seeing that 60 Minutes clip on computers reading brains (thanks to Jon Vanhala for sending it out). I wanted to find out more about neuromarketing to get a sense of how prevalent it [...]

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SUFFOLK – The home of the founder of Mr. Peanut, Amadeo Obici, is in danger of destruction, and has been named to Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered list, just released this week. Obici was the founder of Planter’s Peanuts, and moved his company from Pennsylvania to Virginia to be closer to his supplies. In the process, [...]

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