Big Indian - Roadside America

Nov 17: Giant Forks: Sign of the Tines
Nov 12: Squawk Show
Nov  9: Lucy In The Sky With Damage
Nov  1: Parking Spots: House of Cars
Oct 29: Flamingo Flap
Oct 28: Tip O’ The Hat ‘N’ Boots

Big Indian

In an advertisement placed in hundreds of Sunday papers, The Seneca Nation gives a thumbs-up to the image of a fiberglass "how-posing" big Indian as a means to sell its state tax-free cigarettes. You can order yours at bigindian.com. We suppose the URL largenativeamerican.com was taken.

Two Indian-style Muffler Men stand at the the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in Irving, (which, we were informed, is actually Sovereign Territory, not a Reservation). One Indian salutes the Smoke Shop, the other faces westbound I-90, about 1.5 miles north of exit 58.

Both Indians are palms up because palms down "looked like a Nazi salute," according to advertising manager John "Cheech" Catalino, who was sporting a tongue-in-cheek attitude about the smoke shop's big statues, when we chatted with him summer of 2001.

The Big Indian Smoke Shop also boasts the largest walk-in cigar humidor in New York State. [07/28/2002]

Indian Chief

Address:: 453 Milestrip Rd, Irving, NY
Directions:: Outside of the Big Indian Smoke Shop. I-90 exit 58, west toward IrvinG. Turn right onto Hwy 5/US 20, then immediately bear right onto US 20 when Hwy 5 splits off. Make the next right onto Milestrip Rd. The shop will be on the right.

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