Entry No. 35 — the Wichita file — filed under: muffler man
Big Greaser Muffler Man & 'Half a Big John'
Out front of the Hutch Vintage Market, "Big Greaser" — a Mark Cline-crafted 14-foot Muffler Man decked out in 1950s greaser style and perched atop a truck — looms next to "Big Lonnie," the grinning disembodied upper half of a 1960s Big John grocery mascot cast from the original International Fiberglass molds. Both giants were installed in March 2022 and are visible from the street.
The story
Drive into the asphalt expanse of Uptown Hutch—the former Hutchinson Mall—and you’re greeted before you even hit the sidewalk by an absurd vision: a 14-foot fiberglass giant styled like a 1950s greaser standing atop a truck, looming right alongside a grinning, disembodied giant torso. Installed together in March 2022, the pair serves as an unmissable, hyper-specific roadside beacon for the sprawling vintage market behind them.
The taller figure, "Big Greaser," is a custom 14-foot Muffler Man crafted by fiberglass sculptor Mark Cline. Beside him sits "Big Lonnie," the torso and head of a classic 1960s Big John supermarket mascot, poured from the original International Fiberglass molds that populated mid-century American highways. Why only the top half? Because a disembodied, smiling giant towering over a parking lot is undeniably weirder than a full one.
It is the exact flavor of roadside surrealism that turns a 50-minute drive northwest from Wichita into an essential field trip. You don't just get one rare piece of fiberglass history—you get two distinct eras fused together outside a converted big-box store full of mid-century leftovers.
What it's like
Pulling into the massive mall lot off East 11th Avenue is as painless as parking gets. Because both statues stand outside fronting the street, the photo op is totally free and accessible around the clock—though you'll want daylight to catch the greaser's slick detailing and Big Lonnie's wide, static grin. Once you've snapped your photos, head inside Hutch Vintage Market, where more than 200 vendors occupy a converted anchor store packed with old vinyl, estate jewelry, and odd kitsch. Grab a cup from the indoor coffee nook, give yourself an hour or two to explore, and try hunting down the strangest relic you can find under ten bucks.
The move: Pull up, photograph the absurd duo outside, then spend an hour or two digging through 200+ vendors inside the vintage market hunting for cheap oddities — old records, vintage kitsch, estate jewelry — and see who can find the strangest item under $10.
📍 Before you go It's a day-trip roughly 50 minutes northwest of Wichita, in Hutchinson. The two fiberglass giants stand out front of Hutch Vintage Market at Uptown Hutch (the former Hutchinson Mall), housed in a converted big-box anchor store off East 11th Avenue — easy to spot, with a big mall lot offering ample free parking. Because they're street-visible, the photo op is free and works even when the market is closed; daylight gives you the best shots of the greaser and grinning half-mascot. The 200+ vendors and a coffee nook are inside. Make a real day of it by pairing nearby Hutchinson staples: the underground Strataca salt mine and the Smithsonian-affiliated Cosmosphere.
- 📍 Hutchinson
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1500 E. 11th Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67501 (Hutch Vintage Market, Uptown Shopping Center)
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Cosmosphere — Just 1.3 miles away, swap giant fiberglass roadside art for authentic space-race artifacts at this Smithsonian-affiliated space museum.
- Strataca - Kansas Underground Salt Museum — Follow up outdoor roadside oddities by dropping 650 feet underground into a massive 275-million-year-old salt mine.
- The Mystic Menagerie — Drive two miles west to keep the quirky shopping spree going inside an independent local metaphysical practitioner shop.
Good to know
Do I need to pay or wait for open hours to see the statues?
No. Both giant figures are permanently installed outside in front of the market and visible from East 11th Avenue, making the photo op free and accessible 24/7.
Who made these fiberglass statues?
"Big Greaser" was sculpted by artist Mark Cline in classic Muffler Man style, while "Big Lonnie" was poured from the original 1960s International Fiberglass molds used for Big John grocery store statues.
What else is inside the venue?
Behind the giants, the former mall anchor store houses Hutch Vintage Market, which features over 200 vendors selling antiques, oddities, records, and collectibles, plus a coffee nook.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · hutchvintagemarket.com · stuckeys.com
last checked: 2026-06-07