We were lucky to catch up with Alex Nuelle recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alex, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I host and produce “Post-Mortar,” a series on YouTube that delves into retail history. Notable companies I’ve covered have been Ames, Blockbuster Video, KB Toys, Woolworth, Sam Goody, CompUSA — and even some lesser-known chains such as Sound Warehouse, Caldor, and Famous-Barr.

I started Post-Mortar in 2020 and I’ve produced over 20 episodes, all of which have been very well received.

From Post-Mortar came related videos, such as a short documentary about the life and career of the often omitted co-founder of Target Stores, John F. Geisse. I was contacted by his son, Thomas, after my video about his father’s ‘Venture Stores’ chain. He and I (along with the Geisse family) drafted the video. It was released on the 30th anniversary of his passing. I hope it serves as something to pay respects to his impressive legacy and an easy avenue for people to learn about his contributions to the industry.

After that, I started on a “sister series” to Post-Mortar, titled “Malls.” My co-writer was Rasheed Stevens of Underground Retail fame. We worked together to write the pilot, about a mall from my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri — titled “Crestwood Plaza: The Ultra Mall That Had It All.” It covered the inception, rise, fall, and future of the former shopping center. I was blessed enough to get in touch with Mark Zorensky of Hycel Properties, son of one of the brothers who opened the mall back in 1957. He gave very helpful input. My video is the only long-form video/documentary about the mall. It has been very well received. Malls is a series that I hope to continue soon.

Alex, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up, I was always pulled toward creative projects. I started off drawing and wanted to be a cartoonist. I’d created a whole cast of characters and even a few animated shorts. I continued to draw and sketch for much of my childhood before I started using the camera on my 3DS to record short films.

It was about that time when I started getting into YouTube. I began watching folks like Markiplier and decided to start making videos as well.

Drawing had lost its luster for me, and I figured was a little too late for paper & pencil cartooning anyway. I began making simple short videos and uploading them to YouTube. These were anything from goofy sketches with a cast of puppets to action figure reviews. Soon, I began using a Samsung tablet I got for Christmas, which allowed me to edit my videos — something that would eventually become my career.

As soon as I got access to a computer, I started using Windows Movie Maker. I made a sketch comedy show where I played all the characters, and my parents made some cameos as well. This expanded my editing skills, and I moved to Camtasia Studio.

Once I got a computer capable of gaming, I began posting “Let’s Plays.” This eventually evolved into a show called “The Game Den,” where I would review retro and new video games (à la Angry Video Game Nerd.) This again widened my editing abilities, and I reached a point in college where I started using Adobe Premiere Pro.

I am now 22 years old. My skill set is the product of over a decade of experimentation. It allowed me to get a steady career in video production, as well as a precise trajectory at a point in life where many are not so lucky.

Much of my work is producing marketing material. I handle everything “video-wise” except for writing the scripts.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal in life has always been to make things, anything of worth really. I’ve never shied away from hard work. YouTube has granted me a network of communication and distribution, and I plan to stick with that for some time.

I have a great many ideas I’d like to bring to life, some far from the realms of video making. It’s not easy to work that kind of magic, and I’ve been trying my whole life. I plan to continue trying.

These days, we have a lot of distractions that derail our lives. Half the work is dodging the pitfalls of prolonged leisure and idleness, the same goes for resting on the laurels of our accomplishments. The best is always yet to come. If what I’m making isn’t better than my previous work, I lose interest quickly. Why do the same thing again?

I want to do great work that will stand the test of time. Something that will impress and entertain those who see it, and that which I can be proud enough to call my own.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Post-Mortar currently has over 3,100 subscribers and about 160K views. The growth has been consistent, as were the uploads. Persistence is the key to everything. While I still have quite a ways to go, I can say that the channel has gotten where it has because I kept on top of things and remained feverishly engaged in its workings.

Recently, I’ve been very busy with work/life, and that has stalled future projects for some time. This kind of work is always a balancing act. Avoiding burnout is a serious problem for professionals and hobbyists alike. When you have something you’re truly interested in, it doesn’t feel like work. In the past, I’ve worked 24 hours straight without thinking twice. I’ve also felt the soul-sucking grind of a 9-5 shift.

You have to find something that gets a fire going inside of you. If you don’t like the work you’re doing, then you ought to move on to something better. Otherwise, all you have is a habit — and a habit can be a nasty thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/PostMortar
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuellethegreat/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuelle/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/PostMortar

Image Credits
Alex Nuelle