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The
International Writers Magazine:
Walking USA
CITY
BY FOOT PRESENTS *PRICELESS* WALKING TOURS
A new tour of the National Mall
conveys the history that inspired the monuments at a price perfect
for any budget: FREE! The tours run six days a week, Tuesday- Sunday.
They leave from the Washington Monument at 6 PM and last about an
hour. The story- telling guides are recent college graduates who
can best be described as "Part Professors, Part Performers."
Since they work exclusively for tips, every tour is guaranteed to
be the best in the city!
Ben Hindman
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Thursday, August 9,
2007
Don't let the funky shoes and clever limericks fool you. Those two young
guys commanding a crowd on the National Mall mean businessand they've
pioneered a revolutionary business model in the process.
For starters, this hour-long tour is completely free. That's right, no
cost"priceless," as company founders Brody Davis and Ben
Hindman, both 23, like to say. "This country was founded as a bastion
of freedom," Davis says, "what could be more appropriate than
a free tour?"
It doesn't take long to sense the commitment and enthusiasm that powers
Davis and Hindman. They could have taken jobs on Wall Street or Madison
Avenue, but they picked Constitution and Independence Avenues because
they wanted people to love American History as much as they do. Says Hindman,
"Our tours were inspired by our own terrific history teachers, and
we hope to inspire a new generation of history students." For this
reason, Davis and Hindman are always delighted when school groups and
big families show up.
They call their tour 'MORE THAN MONUMENTS' because, "we tell folks
the amazing stories that inspired the monuments." says Davis. But
don't expect the classroom lectures that lulled you to sleep in high school.
Davis and Hindman have meticulously researched anecdotes and factoids
that keep you saying "wow!" Davis likes to tell the story of
Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier who was the last man to surrender from
WWII in 1974. Hindman is always sure to remind the crowd that he has red
hair, "just like Thomas Jefferson." But whatever they are talking
about, these two deftly convey complex historical themes with humor and
passion. Even the grandchildren stay engaged. By the end of the hour,
both your IQ and patriotism are raised several notches.
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And
how does the business work? "Because we work for tips,"
says Davis, "we give every single tour our best effort so you
can count on a tour of the highest quality. Since we know you'll
love what you hear, we believe you'll tip what you can, and we believe
you'll tell all your friends about what a great time you had.
Can a business model based on value received, mutual trust and idealism
actually work? Here's a testimonial from City by Foot's opening
weekend which suggests it might: |
"Always informative, occasionally irreverent, and just plain fun,
it was the highlight of our evening and something that we will recommend
to anyone we know who plans to visit our nation's capital." --
JF, New Jersey
Tours leave from the East side of the base of the Washington Monument
at 6 PM, Tuesday through Sunday. You'll know you're in the right place
if the person leading the tour is wearing a baby blue T-shirt that says
FREE TOURS! FOLLOW ME!and if the crowd is having a complete blast!
Check them out at dcbyfoot.com.
benny@dcbyfoot.com
Ben Hindman
City By Foot Tour Company
Call (571) 431 7543
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