If you grew up in Olean, there’s a good chance you climbed inside this familiar face — Officer Big Mac, the towering burger-headed jail from the old McDonaldland playground on West State Street.
Now, decades later, one of Olean’s most recognizable childhood relics is looking for a new home. The vintage Officer Big Mac playground structure has popped up for sale on Olean, NY Area Garage Sale on Facebook Marketplace, with the seller asking $3,000.
According to the listing, Big Mac has been privately owned for the past 35 years. Despite a bit of moss and some paint peeling on his hat and base, he’s said to be “structurally in great shape” — just in need of a good cleaning and a little TLC to restore him to his 1980s glory.
The post has already stirred up a wave of nostalgia among Olean locals, with a handful of comments from people who remember clambering through his metal bars and peeking out from his burger bun.
“I love this!! I remember being a kid and playing in one of these!” one said.
(By the way, the same seller also listed a vintage McDonald’s Filet O’Fish playground piece for sale as well, noting that it “needs some restoration. Everything moves as intended but he definitely needs a new paint job.” Had him for 35 years.”)
For those who remember the McDonald’s on West State Street before it was remodeled, Officer Big Mac was part of the original McDonaldland gang — along with Ronald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese.
Whether this piece ends up in someone’s backyard, a retro collector’s display, or even a small museum, one thing’s for sure: Olean’s Officer Big Mac has made a comeback … and he’s serving up a big side of nostalgia.
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