Route 62: Photography Pop Up was one-night only event held at Macky’s Shamrock Room, 1634 Bailey Avenue, on Friday, April 5, 2019, 6 to 11 pm. Buffalo Obscura founding members, Chris Hawley, Molly Jarboe, and Christina Laing were joined by videographer Jim Cielencki and photographer, Mark Von Kohler for the special event. We turned our eyes toward Route 62, the only U.S. highway to enter the City of Buffalo limits.
“Join us on our road trip across Route 62!” declared Molly Jarboe, co-organizer. “Macky Moberly has resurrected one of Route 62’s classic taverns, and has invited us to celebrate two years of photography pop ups at the reborn Macky’s Shamrock Room.”
Route 62 is a 2,248 mile long highway connecting Niagara Falls, NY, to El Paso, TX, through Buffalo. Established in 1930, it is the only east-west United States Numbered Highway that connects Mexico and Canada. In Buffalo, Route 62 encompasses Bailey Avenue and South Park Avenue.
“Defining and defying borders, international or otherwise, is the essence of Route 62 and the purpose of this show,” said Chris Hawley, co-organizer. “Few people realize that Bailey Avenue and South Park Avenue are actually part of a larger U.S. motorway connecting two countries, border station to border station.”
Our friend, Mark Von Kohler, documented his trip along Route 62 between Buffalo and Texas by posting photos on Facebook all along the way. Mark’s arrival home timed out perfectly, and we welcomed him back by featuring a 100-photograph grid of his images at the show!
Macky’s Shamrock Room is the former Pristach’s, established in 1934 and among the East Side’s iconic corner bars. The blue collar Broadway/Bailey neighborhood supplied customers to Pristach’s for decades before its closure in 2010.
“Come celebrate two years of photography pop ups held in places not typically seen, in one of the East Side’s best corner bars!” said Christina Laing.
We were joined by the acoustic duo, Joe & Robin Bacon of “meet the bacons.” Originally from Buffalo, they draw influences from many great vocal duos, like Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Simon and Garfunkel, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris and Shovels and Rope, with music styles that cross classic country, rock, bluegrass, blues and folk (more easily described as Americana music). Macky Moberly’s famous fish fry and Community Beer Works beer were served at the event. 🐠 🍺
