In the better-late-than-never department: Three whimsical sculptures, called the Barrel Boys, have moved to Sixth Street, to remind people that all of the stores are open for business and to encourage people to shop on the street during construction.
The sculptures, made from construction barrels, stand nine feet tall. The Barrel Boys were made by artist Jerry Treiber, who has has participated in Downtown’s Public Art projects.
One of the Barrel Boys has a sign saying "Come See us," another says "15 minutes free parking" and the third's sign says "Look what we have for you."
They will remain on display through the end of the construction project in October. Meanwhile, the Downtown Racine Corporation is holding a contest to name the Barrel Boys. Send your suggestions to the DRC by Tuesday, Sept. 8; the winning names will be announced on Saturday, Sept. 12, during the Adirondack chair auction in Monument Square. Entries can be e-mailed to Terry Leopold or sent to: Downtown Racine Corporation, 425 Main Street, Racine, Wisconsin 53403.
how aboaut sick-lee, Gast-Lee, and Ug-lee... The Lee brothers!
ReplyDeleteDowntown Racine is great I think if your rich and white. Not so much if your Korean.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I missed something, and I am sorry if I did. But what does being Korean have to do with Downtown Racine?
ReplyDeleteNeil, try to keep up! :-)
ReplyDeleteHERE.
Name them Gaudy!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great ideaand the artist did a super job.! The merchants on sixth should be given credit for this idea to combat the road construction. Lay off on the stupid comments because I am damn sure you have never been a business owner that has tried to keep your business alive during road construction in front of store.
ReplyDelete10:24 - I sure the 6th Street merchants are going to get rich on account of these gaudy blowups.
ReplyDeleteI think they are hilarious! Can't we have fun....ever! If we have to deal with the mess and the businesses have to deal with the loss, maybe laughter will help!
ReplyDeleteI think racism in the Downtown area area is not funny.
ReplyDeleteGot lots of chooses to spend my money without giving it to businesses that are anti-Korean
The road (6th St) is horrible. I don't think these big red things are going to make me stop and shop. There is no parking at all. They will be funny to look at. I personally feel sorry for the shop owners.
ReplyDeleteSo do I, first the streets get torn up then we find out that it seams to me Koreans are not welcome in downtown Racine WI.
ReplyDeletePossible names:
ReplyDeleteRoll
Out
The
(Barrel)
the sculpture works for the purpose its serving, but its hardly original, i would hope the artist has mentioned source of his inspiration instead of taking full credit.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deXs0VbmoXE
It is a little too late. Cute, but too late. I won't touch 6th St til it has no orange barrels, cones or barricades.
ReplyDeleteHow about Chubby, Tubby and Grubby?
ReplyDeletei am in north carolina. i now know where all the summer hot is located. anyway, i saw a barrel boy, in burlington n.c. near mebane rd.
ReplyDeleteand i also have no idea what racism has to do with this subject. maybe someone can explain to a person who is out of town.
How about "Becker's Barrel Boys"???
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDelete10:234 - That's real nice. It's people like you that will put these merchants out of business. People should make an effort to go down there so the merchants can stay alive.
ReplyDeleteThe people are not killing 6th st. The road destruction is. Also maybe if there was a convenience store more people would pop by. But our council killed that. So who is really killing 6th st. These over sized happy meal toys are nonsense.
ReplyDelete8:25 it's people like you that are killing the 6th St. The people like you that have nothing good to say about anything. The people that complain and do noting or offer anything for the city but hot air.
ReplyDeleteSince most ordinary people possess very little power, they shouldn't be expected to contribute to the city. On the other hand, the oligarchs who DO have money and clout should contribute early and often. We need practical help for rank-and-file residents, not arty-tarty toys. We've got more empty buildings than functioning businesses in our much-touted downtown. Please wake up--except for a few yuppie enclaves and a corporate crime family's cushy compounds, Racine is dying.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping the last person leaving the funeral parlor will remember to close and seal Racine's casket.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the vacancy rate Downtown now? 30% 40% higher?
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that downtown is doing so well that they can pick and chose who can come in. Must be all the boats from IL the shopers jumping in to buy overpriced junk I mean art. Gota love the bars every place you look.
Thank God though they have stopped the rush of Korean stores
Racine's downtown occupancy rate is far higher than it was 10 years ago - it is those naysayers that are so cheap they can't spend money downtown, they can just complain. They'd probably be happy with a Hobo store downtown - you cheap low life bastards.
ReplyDeleteWhy not have a Hobo store downtown? Anyone who's looked at the demographics will tell you that this backwater burg is a moribund blue collar poverty pit tarted up at the behest of an arty corporate crime family and its loot-laden Ivy League lackeys from Corny-Hell or Hard-Weird. To keep its pet yuppies entertained, the John-Swines promote non-essentials while neglecting the needs of rank-and-file residents. When a people's government finally nationalizes a certain capitalist clan's stash and redistributes its mis-used wealth, I won't weep.
ReplyDelete9:29 - why don't you start speaking like a real person - instead of this trash you spew.
ReplyDeleteAlas, what I say isn't trash. Rather, it's an accurate report on conditions in our Dumbbell City. If you want trash, visit Lighthouse Loot Lord and Lucre Lady La-La Land--there's lots of trash there. The crass creatures infesting certain cushy compounds are why the rest of us cry.
ReplyDelete