The Renaissance of Barstow: Route 66 Festivals, Main Street Murals, and Local Hospitality

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Hey everybody, this is Howard Fox and it's great to be back with you. I am still here in Barstow, California. I'm sitting in a wonderful coffee shop, Crave Coffee House. It's actually really nice and cool here because it is really, really hot outside today. It is Dubai in California out in the high desert. We just got done taking a wonderful mural tour with the Main Street murals. I ended up traveling around in a visit stagecoach. And now we're just back in the coffee shop just unwinding and getting cool. But I have the pleasure of introducing you to Eugene Buticci, who is the executive director of the Barstow Chamber. And I first have to say I love chambers. I love doing interviews with them. And when I get to get a chance, I take advantage of it. So, Eugene, thanks for stepping in, sitting down, enjoying a beverage with me, and look forward to hearing about you and your work in Barkstow.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Well, thank you very much, Howard. I appreciate the opportunity to have this conversation.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Fantastic. Now, we ought to get a little bit of side business out of the way. This coffee shop we're sitting in, you're you're there's an affiliation here with Grave Coffee House.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

Yes, it is my daughter's business. Okay. And my wife and my son also work here.

SPEAKER_02 1:20

Excellent. And there's a young lady sitting next to you.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Hello, I'm Ivan Buticci. I am the daughter of Jean Buticci.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

Alright, so this is like the great, it's like a family business. I love that. And the great coffee, great iced tea, by the way. I think it's and it's just very refreshing. I do believe I look for coffee shops when I am traveling or doing podcasting. I always want to know where do you go for coffee. And the next sentence out of my mouth is usually, I could live there. Because there's a coffee shop. Because it's such a great place to bring people together. And so thank you again.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Yeah, no, absolutely thank you. Yeah, we definitely we make it more of a home feel like here. Make everybody feel welcome, allow them to stay. We have plenty of people who have interviews or uh conference calls or wind down, relax, and have people lay down, sit on the couches, however, that makes it feel homey away from home. And then mom is mom, so everybody calls her grandma or call her mom. And then certainly look for her, so it makes it even more of a homie feel here at Crape Coffee.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Excellent. Now before we let you go, because I know you're busy, what's the website, social sites if people want to learn more about the coffee house?

SPEAKER_00 2:33

There isn't currently a website, but there is some media as in our Facebook and Instagram, which is Crape Coffee, C R B E K A F F E E. Leaving At the House.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

But it's Well, no, no, you at the end of house. H-A-U-S.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Yes, correct. So just creep or Crape KP, however people see it as it's announced, it will be on um Facebook and Instagram.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Excellent. Well, we're gonna provide the backlinks in our show notes and uh because again, I just I love coffee houses. So if I was not podcasting and coaching, I'd probably be working in a coffee house. But thanks again. Now we're gonna talk to Dad a little bit here, a little bit about him, because I know he doesn't hang out here all the time. He's got some work to do as a leading the chamber. So how long have you been a part of the chamber of commerce?

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Well, as far as with the chamber of commerce, actually I started out as an ambassador in 2014. Oh, really? Yeah, and the position became available in 2015. So they the board of directors offered the position and I accept it.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

Okay. Now you and I were chatting a little bit, so I'm kind of leading the way here with this question, but you're not originally from Barstow.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

No, originally I'm from Buffalo, New York.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

The land of the Buffalo Bills and chicken wings.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

Oh, yeah. Very sensitive. When we talk about chicken wings being in California and most of the country, they say we have it with ranch dressing. And what asked this question to my daughter, what type of dressing do I use? It has to be blue cheese, and it has to be a particular type of blue cheese.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

See, I want to know that because I'm I'm a blue I definitely will go with blue cheese. I'm a blue cheese guy. Okay, and I love a good chicken wing that's good tote nice and roasted.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

There's probably, I was saying, one location here in town that serves wings up to his standards. Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Yeah, I know there's I am picky about my wings, and there are certain things they need to be meaty, not these little not these little overfried, overfried wings. They need to be meaty and juicy.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

I I love it. I love it. Now, I'm curious, the the the role of the ambassador, how did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 4:49

I'll be quite honest with you. A company I had worked for for gosh, let's see, embarstal was 24 years, eight years, so for over 30 years, had had closed. So I suddenly became unemployed. And so I spent the first month trying to make sure everything's set up with the household, and I wanted to keep myself visible in the community, so I became an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

A lot of the a lot of the chamber members I already knew at that point as well.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

Okay, because part of being a part of the business community, ideally the business community is a member of the chamber of commerce, they recognize the value of it. Okay. Now, what what are some of the initiatives that as a chamber here in Barstow that you are working on that really is designed to bring new businesses and families and and also and then we'll talk a little bit more about the tour and the impact it's having.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Okay. Well, the one of the things that we have coming up, which is quite a uh a large impact for the community, is our mainstream USA festival. Now, let me just back up a touch before that. This year, the city of Barstow had updated their general plan update, which includes what's called the Barstow International Gateway Specific Plan, and or we call it the Big Project. And that is geared specifically towards the Burlington, Northern Santa Fe Railroad, who will be developing a 45 at least 4,500 acre facility here at Barstow that would be referred to as an inland port. And this project is expected to bring at least 20,000 direct and indirect jobs into the Barstow community. So considering we only have a population of 25,000, right, that is going to be a significant boost to the population and the economy for this area.

SPEAKER_02 6:46

So they're going to be expecting grocery stores, they're going to be expecting more hotel space, restaurants, and and really the things that families and professionals coming in, and working the working class, the hourly worker, all the way up through the executive, they're all going to be expecting things.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

Right. With the big project, logistics is going to just explode in this area. Yeah. As far as additional warehousing, things along those lines. And then, of course, there are going to be developers and investors looking into the area. So where I'm segueing with that is with this year being the 100th anniversary of Route 66, our Main Street USA Festival, which is actually the 27th year for this festival. And with it being the 100th anniversary, we're expecting attendance to skyrocket from 4,000 to upwards of 10,000 people coming in. And you never know who is in that crowd. Right. I know that there are certain industries that are aware of the big project. I'm not sure how much they are actually watching it. I have a someone I know, an architect that I know in the San Diego area. I really haven't spoken with him about it. And when the general plan update was approved, he messaged me congratulating me on Barso on this whole project. So you want to make the best impression possible. It was like, oh, this doesn't look so bad. I'm working with the city of Barcel for them to have some display tables as well. Again, because we we have people that come in from all over the country for this project. It'd be about 200 cars. We're expanding. Historically, it's been classic cars, but to appeal to a wider audience, we there will also be a lack of better words, cyber car area, Tesla car area, off-highway vehicle area to make it a little more exciting. We're expanding our children's area as well, which actually recently we NSF has agreed to sponsor that area. So there'll be like little trains in there, jump, jump houses, water slide. Nice, something for the kids to keep them busy.

unknown 9:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Now, what is the date again for this event? Well, the part that includes the car show is October 10th, but actually we're starting things out on October 9th this year.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Um one of the other highlights, historical highlights of the Main Street USA Festival, has been the National Misfruit 66 contest.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:33

And that normally would happen at the same time as the car show, and then once the Queens are presented or crowned, then they would be, they would come out, they're first introduced during the award ceremony for the car show.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

Right.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

This year that is being moved over to October 9th to give the Queens an opportunity to mingle during October 10th.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Again, to add more excitement to the to the to this festival. Also at nighttime on the 9th, we will we're putting together a theater production of Grapes of Wrath. And for those that may not be aware of this, the Grapes of Wrath is where the phrase was coined Mother Road. Ah referring to Rue 66. Okay. So again, this is in tribute to Rue 66 and their 100th anniversary. Both of those events will be at the historic Harvey House or Casa del Desierto, whichever way you want to call it here in Barso, a national historic landmark.

SPEAKER_02 10:37

I have got to get over to the Harvey House. I mean, I've seen the mural, it's great, but I want to see the real deal, and we'll have to get over there. Now, we just participated in the Main Street murals. As you have been a part of this community, and this what has been the importance of having these murals, and how has that in some ways been an anchor for, hey, we're going through Barstow, let's stop here, let's have a cup of coffee at a crave, let's uh have a meal, but I want to see the murals. How so how has the murals been playing a role in that anchor and getting people excited about Barstow?

SPEAKER_01 11:15

I'll be honest with you, when they first came out with the mural program back in, I believe it was 1995, I looked at the mural program for me as an anti-graffiti situation because people that tag buildings, there's this unwritten law. You don't tag someone else's artwork. So that that I mean that's the way I looked at it at first.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

But over the years, as more murals have have have been developed and put on display, what I've noticed is the number of people who are people that are traveling through town, traveling Route 66, stop and get out of their cars to look at the murals. The murals provide a history of not only Barstow, but the surrounding desert area, recognizing the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service. It it's an absolutely incredible program. And rather than someone just driving Route 66 and it's like, okay, there's a pretty building, they are stopping, take a look at the mural, and that gives them an opportunity to see more of Barstow and recognize more of Barstow. So if you're able to get that tourist to stop, even if it's for five, ten minutes, that's uh that's an opportunity to make additional purchases within the Barstow community. I also did not realize my stepmother was the one that actually brought this up when they were coming out to visit. First time she was in Barstow from the East Coast, she had asked, Does Barstow have a mural program? Yes. She goes, good. She goes, every time we travel, we like I like to go through the murals. I love that visit the murals. And I I did not realize it was that much of a thing. So I'm very proud as far as with Barstow and Main Street Murals, which has been spearheading the program for over 30 years with what they've been able to accomplish.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

That's excellent. And I I love the murals, and I'm so glad when I had the opportunity to chat with Jane about going on this tour. And I had been in Danville, Illinois. I was presenting to the Illinois Destination Association. Danville has murals all over its downtown, and it's like here in Barstow, it's kind of an anchor to it's a it's a development opportunity and get people interested. Don't just drive through, stop in, spend some money, have a good time. Maybe you hopefully spend the night if you can. Right. And and I just think the here in Barstow, you've got Route 66, there's merch all over the place. There is there's signage all over the place. And I think with the murals and all these types of activities get people excited, and now you've got this massive project, the inland fort with the the trains. I mean, I just it just sounds like great things are gonna continue to happen here in Barstow, and especially, I'd imagine in in a year from now, five years from now, that main street's gonna look a little bit different.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

Well, actually, the in the downtown area, it will look a little bit different within the next four months. Yeah, because there is the city of Barstow is starting a project, which, you know, next to Crave Coffee House here where there is that Pocket Park that is that was originally put in during the 1980s. That pocket park is being completely renovated and modernized. It's it's gonna be an absolutely wonderful facility, but they're also making visual improvements right along Main Street, including repaving whatever in the downtown area. That's so yeah, and that's just phase one. There are additional phases that'll be become that will happen as funding becomes available.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Okay. So it seems to me you have a pretty exciting job. Well, I mean, it's I I I know it's hard work to be to run a chamber. I know that. But it sounds like there's great things happening and there's there's great reasons to stop and enjoy, spend some money, and experience it.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

A lot of people really think of it as it's more of let me guess up and go when in reality there's a lot more that you can do here in Barstow. There's like middle hidden gyms such as the murals and those who are actually as the what's more popular besides aside from the 66 is the 15 because it's to and from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Yeah. But if they were to say, for example, that the backup for whatever reason an accident on 15, they take the 66, which allows them to then check out the murals that are in their town, have dinner and potentially stay the night. And when they happen to have dinner and stay tonight, they just wound up at some specific area and get to know the locals, enjoy the locals, and they get to really enjoy their time here in Barstow. And that's what that a lot of people are not much aware of. They just see it as small town, what is there doing? When in reality it's a small town, big heart, we know what to do, get to know us, stay in town, and then have a great dinner.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Excellent. It reminds me too is that a lot of these small towns, and especially when you have a a forward-thinking local government, you have a forward-thinking chamber, maybe even there's a destination organization involved as well, and and like and also like the the main street murals, but you have the people on the street, they're your brand ambassadors, they're the ones that are gonna stop. Hey, did you go see this mural? Did you go to this restaurant? And and and that helps keep the community involved in what's going on so they don't feel like outsiders, oh, they're just tourists, but the the community is a part, whether it's volunteering or whether it's just helping somebody because they're a little bit lost. They want to go see something specific. I love that. Should you kind of look back now, Eugene, on your career here in Barstow, what would be what I would call your aha moment? Like, uh, I get to do this job.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

Tough question. Well, it can it can go in several different areas. As far as on a personal level and then really not as much to do with Barstow, but as far as for myself with the Chamber of Commerce and my position, I there are times that I'm kind I'm in awe of some of the people I get to meet, getting onto the local military bases. Okay, yeah, yeah. I mean, what was it a few years ago, just before COVID had hit, over at the Goldstone facility, which is the Deep Space Network facility, which there's only a handful of those throughout the world, and they were doing a groundbreaking for a new a new dish. Okay. Now, they had borrowed some audio equipment from me, so I think for that reason I was invited to the groundbreaking. Anyways, on social media on a chamber of professionals page, someone was asking what type of portable sound equipment do you have. And so I told him what I use, and I go, and it's even been used by NASA. And they're like, NASA, and I explained where I'd gone. And they're like, Oh, I can't believe you're able to get onto that facility. So I showed him my my pass, and it's like, no problem. Now, in regards to Barstow itself, I'll be honest with you, I moved up here when I first moved to California, I was in the Cal State Fullerton area. I do not like traffic. So an opportunity opened up for me to move to Barstow. And my needs are relatively simple. And what I had discovered with living in Barstow, depending upon where you're going in Southern California, it would not take much longer to get there from Barstow than it would from when I was living in Fullerton. An example being for a while my son was working in San Diego, living in Barstow. It only would take him about 20, 30 minutes longer to get to where he needed to in San Diego than it would have for me in Orange County. And the way I describe things in LA traffic terms, it's about the same.

SPEAKER_02 19:25

Right.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

That's relatively speaking the same.

SPEAKER_02 19:28

You have better scenery coming up.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Much better scenery up here. But as after living up here and seeing more and more in regards to the I guess we call it the government land, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, the nature out here is absolutely it's phenomenal. No, it's not green, but then again, also we don't burn that. Right. But Barstow is a is a fabulous home spot to start from where you can spend several days out here. And you stay in Barstow and then you can explore so many different things within 30 minutes from this area.

SPEAKER_02 20:09

I love that. And it just I when I I live in in Boulder City and I love the fact from there I can get to a lot of really cool places. Yes. And I and it sounds like you just described you're in Barstow the same way.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Well w one place which tags youth it wasn't until about 15 years ago. I knew the place existed. I believe it's a BLM area called Rainbow Basin.

SPEAKER_03 20:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

And I took a different route out to some a place that was near Goldstone. Rather than straight off the freeway, I took the back road. And I discovered Rainbow Basin was only 10 minutes outside of town. So coming back, I took the side road and drove out to Rainbow Basin. I was just absolutely amazed at the view. Nice. It was that close for so long.

SPEAKER_02 21:00

I am going to have to spend some more time out here. Hey, it was only a two and a half hour drive. So we need to do some more podcasting out here. But if our listeners would like to learn more about you and your work, where are the best places to go?

SPEAKER_01 21:14

Well, there's Barstow Chamber website, which is Barso Chamber, B-A-R-S-T-O-W Chamber.com. And we are also in the process of developing another web page called Discover Barstow, which will be a little bit more tourist-oriented. However, with the saying Discover Barstow, it'll easily segue into economic development as well. So for people who may be interested in investing in Barstow.

SPEAKER_03 21:44

Right. Very good.

SPEAKER_02 21:45

Very good. Well, we look forward to that. Eugene, it was been a pleasure to meet you and join in on the Main Street Murrils Tour today. And again, thank you for now that I know the connection to the coffee house, I I love that. And but again, it's been great to meet you and your family, and really great things are happening here in Barstow. And again, I'm a big fan of chambers and destinations, whether it's discover, visit, explore, underline, whatever that name is. But there's just so many opportunities and again some great things, and we wish you the very best. So thanks for spending time with us today.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

Oh well, thank you for coming to Barstow and doing this program. We appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Excellent. Hey, I'm gonna do a quick close and then obviously we can enjoy some more good coffee or iced coffee teas. Alright, folks, this is Howard Fox, and I'm just finishing up some time here in Barstow, California, enjoying the this nice cool environment here in this wonderful coffee shop. And I think that's gonna be it for today. Hope you enjoyed today's episode. You can find us on our website, outdooradventureseries.com. We're on LinkedIn and Facebook and YouTube. Just search for Outdoor Adventure Series. And of course, you can listen to this podcast wherever you get your podcast from. So if you're driving from Vegas, California, LA, Santa Monica, San Diego, wherever, just look for Outdoor Adventure Series and you can listen to all these episodes like the one we just recorded with Eugene. Okay, folks, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, go out there and have a fantastic day. And we look forward to having you join us on a future episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series Podcast. Take care now.