Coeburn, Virginia: Muffler Man - Paul Bunyan

[Before moving to Virginia in 2011] This muffler man is now sporting Ace Hardware colors and holding a high quality Ace Hardware bucket! I would have rather he stayed in the white and green, but he seemed happy this way and the store is now an Ace, so it had to be done, I suppose....

The one located in Elkhart, Indiana at the True Value Store originally was bought by Palmer's Hardware in Elkhart and was located just off of East Jackson Blvd. on a street named Prairie Court, just east of Elkhart Ave. I grew up in that area and always went to Palmer's with my Dad. That had to be somewhere in the mid 60's, maybe 62. My wife and I got married in Dec. 65 and it was way before that. Anyway, Palmer's moved to the True Value store on Cassapolis St, where he is today.

Visited the Muffler Man in front of the True Value Hardware store. He's well maintained and keeping vigil for Scott's lawn care products.

The Paul Bunyan in Elkhart, IN, was originally erected at a previous Palmer Hardware location around 1967 when my father worked there. A large saw and possibly an axe also acquired with Paul Bunyan were tied to his hands at times, but I haven't seen them in over 30 years.

I located yet another muffler man in Elkhart, Ind. last tuesday while visiting my brother and sister in law.... it's in front of a hardware store, wearing a Scott's Lawncare shirt.