Let place become a character in your story. Place is an afterthought in stories that beg for description and even wonder. Interview subjects in their natural habitat. Never, ever, let a story subject come to your office for an interview if you can help it. Take a field trip with your story subject.
Place can provoke new information, funny stories, and great dialogue.
The way people talk, and what they talk about, is influenced by their surroundings. They may whisper in church, shout on the basketball court, talk nonsense after a couple of tall boys. Or they may chat about something remarkable they've just seen, something important. They're vaults where we store ideals. When you interview somebody at home, ask for a tour.