>> FOR MANY, THE GATEWAY TO THE UPPER VALLEY IS A MAJOR EXIT OFF ROUTE 89.
ONE LAST GRANITE STATE SPASM OF GO-GO COMMERCE BEFORE CROSSING THE CONNECTICUT RIVER INTO A QUIETER VERMONT.
LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, MANY PEOPLE PICTURE THIS.
THE GENERIC STRIP OF FAST FOOD JOINTS, BIG BOX STORES AND CHAIN TECHNICALLY, THIS IS WEST LEBANON.
LEBANON ITSELF, ONLY TWO EXITS AND A WORLD AWAY.
THE VILLAGE OF LEBANON IS A PLACE WITH FOUNTAINS AND FUNKY FOOD TRUCKS, A PRETTY TOWN GREEN, SPLASHES OF ART, AND TONS OF COLOR.
TAKE BRIAN,FOR EXAMPLE.
BY ANY MEASURE, A LOCAL STANDOUT.
>> I AM 6’7"ISH AND COVERED IN TATTOOS.
YOU RECOGNIZE THIS THING.
REPORTER: HE AGREES TO SHOW US HOTSPOTS AROUND LEBANON.
HIS SIDEKICKS, ONE-YEAR-OLDS POPPY AND EMERSON, NOT SO SURE ABOUT THESE STRANGERS.
>> HIS NEW ENGLAND STING GUIDE -- STINK EYE.
REPORTER: THIS COFFEE SHOP HOUSED AT A FORMER GAS STATION.
>> IT WAS A HOT MECHANICS MESS BEFORE AND NOW IT IS AMAZING.
REPORTER: WHAT LURED YOU?
>> IT WAS THE COOL FACTOR.
I SAID TO MY HUSBAND, WOULDN’T THAT MAKE AN AMAZING COFFEE SHOP?
IT WAS A WORKING GARAGE.
WE HAD NO IDEA IT WAS FOR SALE.
REPORTER: THEY TRANSFORM THE OLD SERVICE STATION INTO A SUCCESSFUL BAKERY-CAFE, BUT CONVERSATION MIGHT BE AS CRUCIAL AS COFFEE HERE.
>> I HAVE HAD A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS COME IN AND SAY, WHERE WERE ALL THESE PEOPLE BEFORE LUCKY’S WAS HERE?
>> PEOPLE ARE MEETING OTHER PEOPLE, WHICH IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT I COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.
>> WANT TO GET SOME SANDWICHES?
REPORTER: MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO LINGER, THE AROMA OF HICKORY SMOKED PULLED US DOWN THE STREET TO THE LITTLE STORE.
>> THE LITTLE STORE IS LITTLE.
REPORTER: WHEN SCOTT MARSH TOOK OVER THIS HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET -- >> IT HAS BEEN HERE OVER 100 YEARS.
REPORTER: AND LIT A FIRE UNDER IT.
>> WE TAKE THOSE MEATS, TURN THEM INTO SANDWICHES.
REPORTER: THEY MAKE BRIAN GO WEAK.
>> YOU’RE GOING TO GET A TUNEUP SAN -- A TUNA, BUT END UP WITH A RACK OF RIBS.
REPORTER: BRIAN MADE HIS MARK HERE IS A TATTOO ARTIST.
>> PEOPLE START TO KNOW EACH OTHER BASED ON MEAT TATTOOING THEM.
HIS WORK, COLORFUL COLLECTIVE TISSUE, LIKE THE TWO GUYS WHO RECENTLY RECOGNIZED BRIAN’S WORK ON EACH OTHER’S ARMS.
>> ONE GUY SAYS, YOU ARE CRYING EARTH MAN.
>> AND YOU ARE THE MECHANICAL HEAD GUY.
REPORTER: HE GOT HIS FIRST TATTOO AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER, STANDOUT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
HE WAS SIGNED BY THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS IN 2006, BUT BY THEN HE SAYS HIS HEAD WAS ELSEWHERE.
>> I WAS NOT INVESTED REALLY.
REPORTER: ALMOST ALL HIS SPARE TIME WAS SPENT ON ART AND MUSIC.
COACH BELICHICK NOTICED.
>> I DO NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID, IT WAS SOMETHING HERE.
YOU SHOULD FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
I AM LIKE, I AM A TOUGH TATTOO GUY.
THEN I REALIZED, THAT IS A LOT OF TRUTH.
♪ REPORTER: SO HE DID THE NEXT LOGICAL THING.
HE HAD THE ROAD AS LEAD SINGER OF AN INDIE ROCK BAND, TALLAHASSEE.
>> I LIKE BUDDIES.
A ROCK ’N ROLL BAND IS JUST A TRAVELING LOCKER ROOM.
REPORTER: IT IS A MULTIFACETED EXISTENCE HE LIKES TO THINK KEEP THEM GUESSING.
>> I WENT TO THE GOOD COLLEGE, I WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER, MUSICIAN, ARTIST.
I ENJOY CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO THINK BROADER.
REPORTER: THE BAND, LIKE EMERSON AND POPPY, IS CURRENTLY TAKING A BREAK, BUT BARTHELMES IS CONTENT TO PLAY HERE IN THE UPPER VALLEY.
>> IT HAS TAKEN ME YEARS TO FIGURE THA