Dr. Robert Entel says he's not obsessed with the Beatles.
"The word 'obsessed' as a doctor sounds pathologic, so I wouldn't consider myself that," said Entel, a radiologist in north Pinellas County. "But I am very much intrigued with the Beatles, and it's been a big part of my life."
So intrigued that he collected thousands of pieces of Beatles memorabilia over 40 years — some rare, some not as much.
It became so extensive that it would no longer fit in his bedroom. And what eventually was housed in a small, apartment-sized location in Dunedin has moved into a much larger space in downtown St. Petersburg.
In fact, his collection now comprises the Penny Lane Beatles Museum — the only museum in the country solely dedicated to the iconic '60s band.
Entel's collection includes many of the items you would typically see in a museum dedicated to a musical group.
There are sunglasses worn by John Lennon, Beatles beer, Beatles Coca-Cola, John Lennon beer, and even a Nestle's Quik container with the band's picture on it.
Also, Beatles pinball machines, Lennon's slippers, George Harrison's chewed-up sunflower seeds.
"That's the fun about collecting," Entel said. "I mean, there's almost nothing that's been made that the Beatles at one point didn't have their name or their faces on it."
And then there are Ringo Starr's cookies.
"And over here is something very rare," Entel said. "These are Ringo cookies. It's the only one I've ever seen, ever, in my 40-something years of collecting. ... And they're still in the original container. I don't think it would be too wise to bite into one at this point."
Entel's favorite item has a bit of historical significance beyond the band.
"In Russia, they were not allowed to make Western music on conventional records, so they took X-ray film had already been taken, and they put the grooves in there, and you can see the hole in the middle," Entel pointed out.
"And these are actually Beatles songs. Each one of these X-rays is a different Beatles song, and there are the sleeves that go along with it. And that's how they're able to listen to music in Russia before they were allowed to listen to the Beatles."
Entel readily admits the Fab Four's music is "always with me." Even while he's working.
"I'm a general radiologist, but I do a lot of interventional procedures," Entel said. "But when I'm reading MRIs and CAT scans and ultrasound, I love to have a little bit of Beatles music in the background. It always makes me happy, just like when I was a kid.
"I mean, it never leaves me. I don't think there's been a day in my life where I haven't either listened to Beatles or thought about the Beatles. It's just part of my fabric."
And his favorite song?
"I don't want to sound anticlimactic," Entel said, "but probably Penny Lane."
The Penny Lane Beatles Museum is at 146 Second St. N., St. Petersburg, and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $15.
