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In
1976, on a hot day - right before the Fourth of July, a young radio
personality was live on the air trying to talk politics. Trying everything he knew to get calls, he was faced with the worst possible
scenario - NO CALLS. In an attempt to rescue himself from three
hours of open lines, he made a bold statement, “Let’s
talk about restaurants!” This was the beginning (quite by
accident) of one of the most successful broadcasting concepts on
American Radio.
The first caller spoke of a restaurant
nearing bankruptcy! This restaurant served Fried Ice Cream and Szechuan food
(both items new to the Boston area). As a result of that one call, the restaurant
began to get (as they say in the restaurant industry) a run. This restaurant,
in the early 1980’s, became one of the largest Chinese restaurant chains
in New England. It was credited to the Pat Whitley Restaurant Show that pulled
them away from bankruptcy. Incidentally, Weylu’s was the first restaurant
recommended.
Today,
the Pat Whitley Restaurant Show has become a “Sunday Morning
Ritual” in New England, right up there with reading the
Sunday paper and going out for Sunday Brunch. For almost three
decades the show has been perfected to a fine art! And now, parts
of the program are featured on our website. Quite a large step
from a program with such a humble beginning.
Pat’s legion of loyal fans is
another attribute to the success of the program. Households throughout New England
know, trust and listen to Pat Whitley on Sunday morning. Over 2 million hits
to website each year, 250,000 people to the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, 65,000
people annual to the Taste of Boston.
