Mention the “Big Boy” statue to anyone above the age of 30 and it will likely conjure up fond memories of posing for pictures outside a popular restaurant chain before the days of smartphone “selfies” and social media.
But Ed Yarborough, owner of Diamond Jewelers at 153 E. Main St. in downtown Spartanburg, hopes to captivate generations of customers with two of those statues placed at the front and rear of his business.
Yarborough has already started to create a buzz with a guerilla marketing campaign that features the family-friendly icon from the past.
“I thought it would be something fun, something different,” said Yarborough, who opened his downtown shop in 1972. “I was only going to put them out for a month to try it at first, but the response has been so great that I’ve decided to keep them out.”
Yarborough said he purchased the statues, each standing more than 6-feet tall and weighing nearly 300 pounds, from an antique dealer.
He had the statues delivered the Tuesday before the city’s Spring Fling event earlier this month.
The statue at the rear of the building is bolted into the concrete for safety, Yarborough said. The one in the front has been set on platform with wheels so his employees can move the statue inside when the business is closed.
“We’ve had zero complaints,” Yarborough said. “Everyone has loved it. The day I put them out, people were stopping by to take photos. That has continued every day since. I think it brings back fond memories.”
Buddy Bush, building official for the city of Spartanburg, said Yarborough’s statues do not violate any codes.
Jeffrey Cohen, owner of Cohen’s Closeouts at 307 W. Main St., applauded Yarborough’s decision to place the statues.
For several years, Cohen displayed a stuffed gorilla in front of his store. The gorilla was stolen two years ago and Cohen has not yet replaced it, but he said customers still talk about it.
“Ed is a very smart marketing guy,” Cohen said. “We had that gorilla, and to this day people still talk about it. It’s like those folks dressed like the Statue of Liberty or that giant pink elephant that you see in front of businesses. I think the Big Boys trigger fond memories. It’s brilliant.”
