New Books Network: Rolando Pujol on "The Great American Retro Road Trip: A Celebration of Roadside Americana"

Episode Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guest: Rolando Pujol
Book: The Great American Retro Road Trip (Artisan Publishers, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Rebecca Buchanan interviews Rolando Pujol about his book The Great American Retro Road Trip: A Celebration of Roadside Americana. The discussion centers on the enduring appeal, cultural importance, and often-quirky beauty of roadside attractions across the U.S.—from neon signs to giant dinosaurs, vintage fast-food spots, and kitschy mom-and-pop landmarks. Pujol unpacks his personal passion for Americana, the process of documenting these sites, the urgency of preserving them, and the power of nostalgia in the American landscape.

Origins & Motivation for the Book

[02:16]–[05:25]

• Personal Story: Rolando recounts how his lifelong fascination with roadside Americana began on a childhood road trip from New York to Miami, especially after visiting “South of the Border” in South Carolina.
  • “One of my formative experiences and my first memories is a road trip... A visit to... South of the Border... made a particular impression on this four-year-old. Right?” — Rolando Pujol [02:25]
• Evolving Interest: Initially a personal hobby, his interest blossomed into public documentation with social media, starting with Tumblr and Instagram.
• Community: Social media revealed a vibrant community of like-minded enthusiasts and creators.
  • “I discovered that... people really are interested in this stuff. I’m not alone in this at all...” — Rolando Pujol [03:49]

Crafting the Book: Selection & Structure

[05:25]–[10:29]

• Invitation to Write: Artisan Publishers reached out in 2022, and what began as a simple idea transformed into an ambitious, nearly comprehensive guide.
• Research Method: Years of maintaining state-by-state Google Maps to pinpoint locations to visit and document.
• Organizational Logic:
  • Chapters by region (Northeast, Southeast, etc.).
  • Subcategories: “Roadside quirks” (e.g., Paul Bunyan statues, buildings shaped like products), theaters, diners, fast-food spots, and “pullovers” (unique, sometimes uncategorizable stops deserving extended attention).
• Underlying Mission: To foster awareness, encourage patronage, and support local businesses struggling to survive.
  • “There’s a little bit of a mission statement... let us do whatever we can to keep these places thriving.” — Rolando Pujol [09:52]

Nostalgia, Fragility, and Urgency

[10:29]–[11:34]

• Ephemerality: Many featured sites have shuttered or changed dramatically even since the book’s release.
  • “Literally days before [we went to press], I’m like, oh, unfortunately this place just closed...” — Rolando Pujol [11:03]
• Preservation Message: The continual closure of these spots underscores the need to visit—and support—them before they vanish.

Regional Deep Dives & Memorable Landmarks

Northeast: Homegrown Americana

[12:16]–[19:56]

• Local Inspiration: Childhood in Sleepy Hollow, NY, surrounded by roadside giants, retro fast-food joints, and neon.
  • “When you’re a kid, you think that whatever it is that you’re seeing right in front of you, this is the only example of it...” — Rolando Pujol [12:35]
• Examples:
  • Muffler Man statue in Elmsford, NY
  • Holiday Inn’s vintage signage
  • Blueberry-themed “Wild Blueberry Land” in Maine
• Beloved Landmark: Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ—a survivor thanks to preservationists.
  • “Lucy is fantastic... she’s very, very well taken care of. She recently got a new skin to make her more waterproof.” — Rolando Pujol [17:08]
• Doo-Wop Motels: Wildwood, NJ’s preserved 1950s-style motels, but even here, businesses die and signs disappear.

Mid-Atlantic & Southeast: Off-the-Beaten-Path

[20:18]–[26:07]

• Route Choices: Pujol encourages veering off interstates onto parallel highways (e.g., US 301, 17) for hidden gems.
• Iconic Stops:
  • “South of the Border” (Dillon, SC): kitsch incarnate.
  • Old Florida attractions (e.g., Weeki Wachee mermaids, Gatorland)
  • Orange-shaped structures like Eli’s Orange World in Kissimmee
  • Plains, GA—home to the giant Jimmy Carter peanut
• Generational Joy: Sharing these experiences with younger family members to keep traditions alive.
  • “These... can be transgenerational. Right. You can just... instill it in the next generation...” — Rolando Pujol [21:16]

Dinosaur Obsession: A National Quirk

[26:25]–[30:49]

• Prevalence: Giant dinosaur statues from South Dakota (Rapid City, Creston) to California (Cabazon dinosaurs, immortalized in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure).
• Pop Culture Tie-ins: Flintstones-themed Bedrock City in Arizona; “The Thing” roadside attraction incorporating dino-alien conspiracy fun.
  • “Dinosaurs have always been a source of great intrigue. Right.” — Rolando Pujol [26:32]
  • “It is funny how these attractions become monuments to national obsessions... One of the first things you reach for is, oh, I know, dinosaurs.” — Rolando Pujol [29:51]

Midwest: Route 66, Roadside Giants & Quirky Claims

[30:49]–[33:27]

• Biggest Everything: Midwest towns promoting “world’s largest” objects.
  • “The Midwest is all about doing big things... and making that big thing the centerpiece of town...” — Rolando Pujol [31:34]
  • Notable: Paul Bunyan in Bemidji, MN; Big Fish Supper Club.
• Supper Clubs: Uniquely Midwestern gathering places, deeply rooted in local culture.

The Drive-In Movie Theater: Nostalgia in Motion

[32:57]–[38:26]

• Cultural Experience: A rare opportunity to unplug, experience the present, and enjoy communal moments.
  • “It is truly about having an experience in the moment right there.” — Rolando Pujol [33:41]
• Pandemic Renaissance: COVID-19 drew new attention as drive-ins offered safe social spaces.
• Persistence: Despite closures, several hundred remain, with notable preservation on Route 66 (timely for its centennial in 2026).
  • “This is a great year to explore Route 66... it is the 100th anniversary.” — Rolando Pujol [36:49]
  • Tulsa’s vibrant revival, fueled by local advocates.

Fast Food Nostalgia: Architecture and Atmosphere

[38:26]–[48:21]

• Changing Landscapes: Modern fast food has become architecturally uniform, losing regional and historical distinctiveness.
  • “The fast food architecture landscape... is... very bland and banal... before, each of these fast food chains had a distinctive style.” — Rolando Pujol [39:41]
• McDonald’s:
  • California origins, the oldest operating in Downey, CA (1953).
  • The ephemeral “mansard roof” design of the ‘70s–‘80s is nearly extinct but still cherished.
  • Nostalgia marketing (e.g., “Grimace Shake,” McDonaldland meal) hints at corporate brand memory but rarely extends to architecture.
• Dairy Queen:
  • Iconic hut-style walk-up stands, glowing neon, and central community role.
  • Pujol’s affection for their small-town ritual and community significance.
    • “To me, there were few experiences more distinctly American than being at a Dairy Queen on a Friday night...” — Rolando Pujol [45:37]
• Preservation vs. Modernization: Corporate pressure often leads to “updating” at the cost of historic character—Pujol argues for exceptions.
  • “Let those few hundred shops just be, you know, let them be the face of the business.” — Rolando Pujol [50:26]

The Book’s Purpose & Pujol’s Hopes

[51:01]–[54:38]

• See the World Differently: Encourage readers to notice and value the unique gems in their neighborhoods, not just on road trips.
  • “I want people to just become... savvy connoisseurs of the world around them... every block that you’re on is concealing and hiding something that’s going to capture your imagination...” — Rolando Pujol [51:43]
• Travel Inspiration: Add new textures to vacations and revisit overlooked sites.
• Human Connections: The most memorable stories often come from these quirky, unexpected stops.

Upcoming Projects & Where to Find Rolando

[54:38]–[56:30]

• Tour & Promotion: More book events planned (follow on Instagram and The Retrologist Substack).
• Next Book: Considering a follow-up, likely focused on a more specific subject within Americana—but not ready to reveal details.
  • “Writing another book... is a multi-year, very intense experience... but I probably will do it because how can you not, right?” — Rolando Pujol [55:25]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Preservation:
  “What can we do as Americans who like to travel... to go to these places and give these people the support that they need?” — Rolando Pujol [09:36]
• On Lucy the Elephant:
  “Lucy... is seen as sort of like where it all began, 1881. There were at one point like multiple Lucy's, but she's still there.” — Rolando Pujol [17:08]
• On Dinosaurs:
  “It is funny how these attractions become sort of monuments to national obsessions... One of the first things you reach for is, oh, I know, dinosaurs. Who doesn't like dinosaurs, right?" — Rolando Pujol [29:51]
• On Fast Food Nostalgia:
  “I do feel that exceptions need to be made because I see the vintage shops... as sort of like the brand ambassadors.” — Rolando Pujol [50:26]
• On Purpose:
  “I want people to go out there and, and chase those experiences because it’s just going to make life far more interesting.” — Rolando Pujol [54:25]

Key Timestamps

• Book Genesis & Personal Story: [02:16]–[05:25]
• Selection Process & Structure: [05:25]–[10:29]
• Northeast & Lucy the Elephant: [12:16]–[19:56]
• Mid-Atlantic/Southeast & “South of the Border”: [20:18]–[26:07]
• Dinosaurs Across America: [26:25]–[30:49]
• Midwest, Route 66 & World’s Largest: [30:49]–[33:27]
• Drive-In Theaters & Route 66 Centennial: [32:57]–[38:26]
• Fast Food Nostalgia/Architecture: [38:26]–[48:21]
• The Book’s Meaning/Purpose: [51:01]–[54:38]
• Next Steps & Socials: [54:38]–[56:30]

Rolando Pujol’s The Great American Retro Road Trip is both a love letter and call to arms for lovers of Americana—beckoning us to see the value in big fish, neon signs, giant oranges, and the everyday miracles just off the next exit. His stories remind us that “pulling over” can lead to wonder—and that the quirks that make America unique are worth celebrating and saving.

Find Rolando:

• Instagram: @rolandopujol
• Substack: The Retrologist