In 1936, Bob Wian sold his 1932 DeSoto roadster for $300 to buy a small lunch counter in Los Angeles. He created the first Big Boy burger, a double-decker with a special sauce, launching what became the iconic Bob's Big Boy restaurant chain.

The cheerful mascot, known as "Big Boy," dressed in checkered overalls and proudly presenting a double-decker burger, symbolizes classic American cuisine and nostalgia.​ As the brand grew, it expanded under regional names like Frisch's Big Boy in Ohio and Top's Big Boy in Illinois including three Top's locations in Springfield as well as a location in Jacksonville and Decatur. During the golden age of road trips, Big Boy restaurants were a familiar sight for locals and road trippers offering comfort food and friendly service. To reinforce its branding, the chain introduced fiberglass Big Boy statues—cheerful, checkered-overall-clad mascots proudly hoisting a burger.

These statues became beloved roadside landmarks, drawing customers for decades. While many locations have faded with time, efforts continue to revive the brand. Today, one of these iconic fiberglass Big Boy statues stands proudly in our sign museum, preserving a slice of Americana and celebrating the legacy of this classic diner.