We LOVE Escondido for boasting more than its fair share of quirky roadside attractions and the giant 25-foot-tall fiberglass Joor Muffler Man is at the top of the list.
The Joor Muffler Man's giant feet in shiny black shoes have proudly stood on the corner of East Valley Parkway and Juniper Street for more than 50 years. There he stands, legs slightly apart, offering his giant muffler to the world for well-deserved admiration.
Rumour has it that this Muffler Man sometimes dons a Santa Suit at Christmas, along with other special occasion outfits and he certainly wore his face mask during the pandemic, but generally he is happy to wear his usual outfit of white shirt and jeans, teamed with his meticulously groomed hair and pencil thin moustache.
The Joor Muffler service has been in business since 1931, so had already been in business 30 years before the owner spotted the Muffler Man at a trade show in the 1960’s and purchased him for their busy corner. Interestingly, he is one of the few muffler men who stand at street level - most muffler men stand on top of a building out of harm's way.
We learned from the Muffler Man’s Facebook page (which sadly has not been updated since 2020), that this muffler man’s name is DON, but he also goes by “Joor man”. The page also intimated that he has a crush on the giant Marilyn Monroe statue that stands in Palm Springs, which is adorable :-)
Look for references to Joor Man in other parts of Escondido, particularly in street art and City Murals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southern California #143 -last visited July 2023
Commentaires