This week, I thought I’d do something a little different. I get so many questions from readers about the column, I thought I’d write about what goes on behind the scenes at Rearview Mirror.
Many ask me how I came to write my column and books. For me, it began with an assignment I gave my graduate students at Hawaii Pacific University. They had to meet six business people at two networking events and get one to give them a tour of their company and explain their marketing.
We teach students knowledge that will be useful on the job, but not enough, I feel, about how to get a job. Most jobs are filled through networking — meeting potential employers — than through ads and agencies.
My students brought me so many interesting stories about Hawaii companies, it led to my first book, "The Companies We Keep," in 2004. As soon as that happened, people started coming up to me with their stories, and that led to the "The Companies We Keep 2," "3" and now "4."
I walked into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser offices when book three came out hoping they’d write an article about it. David Butts, the business editor, agreed. But then he asked if I’d be interested in writing a regular, ongoing feature.
I gave him four possible concepts, and he picked the one with an interesting photo and the story of a Hawaii person, place or organization — basically stories from my books.
My original title suggestion for the column was "Around Hawaii," or "About Hawaii." Other possibilities included "Down Memory Lane," and "Bygone Days."
Butts liked "Back in the Day," but the editorial page sometimes used that. Instead, he suggested "Rearview Mirror." Done.
I’ve thought of coming up with a closing tag line such as, "… and for this week, that’s what’s in my Rearview Mirror," but they all seemed pretty hokey. Maybe my readers can suggest a better one.
The column began on April 15, 2011, with a story and an aerial photo of Ala Moana Center under construction in 1955. The photo was from the Hawaii State Archives and showed the foundation of the center, the old drive-in theater and, stunning for me, no Magic Island.
Since then, I’ve written 190 weekly columns, each appearing, usually on Page 3 on the Friday Money section. If you missed one, you can find them on the paper’s website.
Half the stories are from my first three books, but the other half are newly researched and written, with the idea that those will be in my next book.
Where do I get my story ideas? Readers often ask questions or suggest stories. I probably get two to three a week. I have a 2-foot stack of books some have sent me, waiting to be read someday.
Some ideas come from speakers at two groups I belong to: The Rotary Club of Honolulu and the Downtown Exchange Club. It was there, for instance, that Sen. Dan Inouye told us he was mistaken for the King of Siam at his first White House dinner in 1959 (see July 20, 2012).
If you have a story idea or experience, please email it to me at the address below.
People often ask what I’m working on for upcoming columns. At the moment, I have more than two dozen columns in various stages of research. For instance: Kimo Kahoano and I talked recently about writing the song "Aloha Friday."
Former disc jockey Ron Jacobs told me about Elvis’ manager, Col. Tom Parker, and the Poi Boys.
Several who read my Aina Haina columns asked if I wanted to meet some Niu Valley old-timers. Former Waikiki Theatre usherettes offered to share their stories with me.
Stories about Diamond Head Theatre, the former Coast Guard World War II communications facility in Wailupe, Zippy’s, Kini Popo, Architects Hawaii, the Waiakea Pirates, the Koolau water tunnels, Ikua Purdy, the Von Trapp family in Hawaii, and early days at Sears in Hawaii are also in development.
I just counted, and I have over 100 story concepts written down to get to. It’s enough to keep me going a long time.
I’m often asked where and how I do my research. I do have a few experts and longtime residents I call on, but one of my favorite go-to places is the Hawaii and Pacific room at the main library on King Street. I tell people about its resources all the time.
Besides books, the library maintains newspaper clippings files on thousands of important Hawaii people, places and organizations. They also have old phone books, the City Directory, an index to the newspapers on microfilm and over 2,000 high school yearbooks. I take my camera with me and take pictures of the clippings.
There’s usually two librarians at the reference desk, and if you tell them what you’re looking for, they often know just the book or magazine you need.
Readers sometimes point out that not all my columns are business-related. That’s true. My model is Reader’s Digest. I look for any interesting historical story about Hawaii people, places, organizations, sports figures, the military, churches and schools.
I’ve collected over 10,000 photos from people featured in my books, from Star-Advertiser archives, the Bishop Museum, Hawaiian Historical Society and Hawaii State Archives.
The paper’s photo editor, George Lee, usually comes up with pictures if my other sources don’t pan out.
The column is due on Wednesday evening. Butts, or Dave Segal, the assistant business editor, edits the column on Thursday.
Randy Cadiente, former Farrington all-star quarterback, gets it next. He’s the page designer. He places the photos and text on the page. It then goes to the "rim," which is a group of copy editors who check for errors and write the headline. In three years, they’ve only used my suggested headline once. After the "rim," the story is sent to the "slot," where a third pair of eyes checks for any mistakes.
Cadiente then prints a proof of the page, which Butts or Segal look over one last time. Then it’s sent to our Kapolei facility to be printed. That begins around 11 p.m. and is delivered by 6:30 a.m.
The paper is posted to staradvertiser.com by 3 a.m. Erika Engle then tweets the column out to her followers (mahalo!). By midday, there are often 15 to 30 comments posted on the website or emails from readers to me.
That’s about it. I enjoy working with the paper’s staff, and getting to meet people and hear their stories.
Finally, I want to tip my hat to Bob Krauss, who wrote over 8,000 columns in his 55 years with this paper. He inspired and mentored me when I was working on my first book.
Bob Sigall, author of “The Companies We Keep” and three sequels, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@yahoo.com.
