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OTHER GIANT STUFF (page 4) |
Vacuums
Fort Worth, TX |
Hand Truck
Johnston, RI |
Prayer Candle
San Antonio, TX |
Peace Candle
of the World
Scappoose, OR |
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The Giant Vacuums are eye-catchers for Evans Vacuum Cleaners.
The Giant Hand Truck stands in front of Yankee Supply. It was built in the mid-1990s and is 12' tall. The wheels are made from car tires. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The 40' tall Prayer Candle is officially known as the Veladora of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was created by Jesse Trevino in 2003 as a devotional to the Virgin Mary. It is installed on the wall of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Peace Candle of the World is about 30' tall and was built in 1970 from a silo and coated with wax. It was created by a candle factory in town which is now gone. The eternal flame was originally natural gas, later replaced with electricity. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
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Big Bowl
Chicago, IL |
Giant Acorn
Kecksburg, PA |
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The Big Bowl is a Chinese and Thai restaurant with four locations in Chicago, three in MN and one in VA. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Giant Acorn was installed in 2006. It is a tribute to the acorn-shaped UFO that landed in town in 1965. The graffiti is a recent addition. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
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Giant Kazoo
Eden, NY |
Giant Oil Funnel
Miami, FL |
The Living Room
Miami, FL |
Giant Flatiron
Asheville, NC |
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The Giant Kazoo is on the roof of the Kazoo Gift Shop and Museum (formerly the Original American Kazoo Company, founded in 1916). It is now the only metal kazoo factory in the world. For more, see their website.
The Giant Oil Funnel is an eye-catcher for an oil change place. It looks to be modern but I could be wrong.
The Living Room is an art installation in the Design District. It has two 100' tall walls and giant furniture. It adjoins a retail building. The work was created in 2001 by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt. For more, see this website.
The Giant Flatiron is placed in front of the Flatiron Building downtown. I believe the 15' tall sculpture was modeled after a Monopoly game piece. It was installed here in 2002 as part of the Asheville Urban Trail. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
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Coin Op Laundry
Bellflower, CA |
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The Coin Op Laundry features giant clothespins clipped to the roof.
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Giant Watch
Los Angeles, CA |
Giant Grandfather Clock
Kewaunee, OH |
Giant Cuckoo Clock
Wilmot, OH |
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This Giant Watch acts as a sign for the Feldmar Watch & Clock Center.
This Giant Grandfather Clock is about 35' tall and stands in from of Geppetto's Top of the Hill Shop. The store is now closed. The clock has been here since at least the 1990s and used to keep time. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
This Giant Cuckoo Clock claims to be the world's largest. It was built between 1962-1974 as part of the Alpine-Alpa Cheese House (a restaurant/gift shop). The restaurant is now known as Grandma's Alpine Homestead/Swiss Village and they sell a wide variety of clocks as well. It has moving figures and stands 23 1/2' tall, is 24' wide, and is 13 1/2' deep. The clock was restored in 2007 as part of Hampton Inn's "Save-a-Landmark" program. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
There is another giant cuckoo clock in Frankenmuth, MI and another in Douglasville, GA.
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Alvin's Island Tropical Department Store
Panama City Beach, FL |
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Alvin's Island has a chain of stores selling souvenirs, beachwear and other related items. This is their first store. This cave-like building was originally the home of "Jungle Land" whicih was built in 1966. There are still remnants of this animal attraction, including live alligators, a waterfall, the fake volcano, and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" pathways. Jungle Land closed in the late 1970s. Alvin's took over in 1981 and named the place "Alvin's Magic Mountain Mall". For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
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Mario's Seawall Italian Restaurant
Galveston, TX |
Leaning Tower
of Niles
Niles, IL |
Prince Restaurant
Saugus, MA |
Frankie Tomatto's
Markham, ON |
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Mario's Seawall Italian Restaurant has been here since 1973. Before that, the building was home to Mario's Flying Pizza. The building's central feature is a reference to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was created during a remodeling in 2003 when they added the patio. For more, see this website.
The Leaning Tower of Niles was built in 1934 to serve as a water tower for three swimming pools. It is a half-scale replica of the Tower in Pisa, Italy. Designed by Albert Farr, it was also known as "Farr's Folly" as it considered a silly building at the time. The tower no longer holds water. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Prince Restaurant attracts passing motorists with its 40' tall replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is a play on words since this is a pizza place. It started as a small drive-in restaurant with picnic tables in 1961. Ten years and several expansions later, it now seats 700 (all indoors) and also houses the Giggles Comedy Club. For more, see their website.
Frankie Tomatto's is another Italian restaurant with a simulated Tower of Pisa. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
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Yogurt Mill
El Cajon, CA |
Eiffel Tower
Paris, TX |
Tree of Life
Aptos, CA |
Bear Tree
Anaheim, CA |
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The Yogurt Mill originally opened in the early 1970s as the Leaning Tower of Pisa Pizza. The building later housed a couple Italian restaurants, "Little Italy" and "Giuseppe's". It became the Yogurt Mill in 1977. The building is 50' tall and 28' in diameter. The upper structure once had four levels of Doric columns - now filled in.
This Eiffel Tower was built in 1993 and is 65' tall. The cowboy hat was added in 1998. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Tree of Life was built to resemble a giant redwood stump. It is used as a medical office. I'd love to know when it was built and what it was originally used for. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
The Bear Tree was built from 1982-1983 as part of Hobby City. The 38' tall tree stump once housed a teddy bear collection and shop. It also produced the sound effects of forest noises and singing birds. There were other structures on the property devoted to different hobbies, including a gem shop, a candle shop and a puppet center. A half-scale White House still stands but is not used for anything now. There are still about six stores still operating on the property including a hobby shop, a train store, a magic store, etc. In 1994, "Adventure City" was built on the property, offering rides, a petting zoo and a theatre. The tree stump is now rented out for parties.
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