Skip to Main Content

Waukegan, Illinois: Big Onan Man with Garage

An overall-clad giant clutches a full-size detached garage under one arm. Mascot of the Onan company, which got its start making garages.

Onan Garage

Address:
3500 Sunset Ave., Waukegan, IL
Directions:
Onan Garage. On the north side of Sunset Ave., one block west of Hwy 131/N. Green Bay Rd, atop the Onan Garage building.
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About Big Onan Man with Garage

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Onan Man.

Big Onan Man with Garage

A little underwhelming, but Jim Onan is worth the detour!

[Jay, 11/08/2013]

Onan Man.

Big Onan Man With Garage

The big happy Onan Man is back -- hammer in one hand, and garage under his opposite arm! He was just recently placed on top of the Onan building at 3500 Sunset Ave, easily seen from the street. It's so good to see him again (I grew up seeing him every day, on Grand Ave in Gurnee)! Hurrah!

[S Jansen, 10/18/2010]

Sept. 2011: Photo added.

Big Onan Man with Garage

Regarding the Onan Man with the House in Gurnee and Pyramid House in Wadsworth: Your speculation is correct. Both are (or at least were) owned by the Onan family, who run Onan Garages. They used to own several hotels (known as the Adventure Inns), now there is just the one left (as far as I know), and several condo and apartment buildings in the Lake County, Illinois area.

The man with the house (it's actually a garage) is an advertisement for Onan Garages. The Onan Man had nothing to do with the Handy Andy across the street, at least not as far back as I can remember (and I've lived in the area my entire life).

Jim Onan owns the company, and his commercials all begin with "I'm Jim Onan" and end with "Nobody, but NOOOO BODY, will beat a deal on an Onan Garage."

[Chris Swingler, 05/04/2008]

Giant carry a house.

Big Man with a House

This guy was spotted in Gurnee Illinois on Grand avenue across the street from an abandoned Handy Andy home improvement store. He now seems to advertise Onan Enterprises. A worthy second career for a fiberglass giant, except there is no ONAN enterprises anywhere to be seen, just a fleabag "fantasy attractions" motel behind him. So, he's not really a muffler man, not really a Handy Andy...just some big guy with a house, or perhaps a garage, under his arm and a hammer in his hand.

[Erika Gray, 08/14/2004]

Perhaps "Onan" is related to the family that owns the Golden Pyramid house in nearby Wadsworth, Illinois.

Statue of Onan Man

Big old muffler man [Ra: we've since determined this isn't a Muffler Man] in front of a business called Onan's Garage...they build garages and it seems to me he might even be holding a small version of one. You could call them for verification.

[cheryl, 11/29/2000]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Planes, Trains And Automobiles MotelPlanes, Trains And Automobiles Motel, Gurnee, IL - 2 mi.
Golden Pyramid HouseGolden Pyramid House, Wadsworth, IL - 3 mi.
Ray Bradbury Rides a RocketRay Bradbury Rides a Rocket, Waukegan, IL - 4 mi.
In the region:
Saucer-Shaped Theater of Gold, Racine, WI - 23 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Illinois Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings