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Concrete Heaven

Posted on February 21, 2009June 11, 2016 By Tom 17 Comments on Concrete Heaven
Local

Ware Place Statuary

NOTE: Lately I’ve gotten several questions asking about pricing, inventory, and contact information for this business. I Am NOT THE OWNER, NOR DO I HAVE ANY ASSOCIATION WITH THIS BUSINESS! I just wrote about my visit there.

Seriously, some of you need to learn how search engines work. If a link appears at the top of the list, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s that business, or the link you want.

Now on to the original post…

If it can be cast in concrete, chances are Estelle King sells it. If you’ve ever been through Ware Place, South Carolina, you’ve seen Estelle’s place at the intersection of Highways 25, 418, and 8. The over-sized concrete roosters and horses and lighthouses are hard to miss. The spry 84 year old has operated her lawn ornament shop for over thirty years now, and shows no sign of stopping.

We had driven down Augusta Road to Estelle’s place to find a couple of small concrete cats to memorialize our recently departed felines.  When we arrive, Estelle was helping an elderly (probably younger than she is) woman load a large concrete birdbath into the woman’s trunk.

We looked around through her yard, finding statuary of just about any type imaginable.

Estelle invited us to come around back where she kept her more interesting items.  Here she had an original Big Boy, several items from South of the Border, and other restaurant and commercial statuary.

There were other oddities in the back.  A concrete bear had apparently knocked over a fountain.  There were several mutant 8 foot tall pink flamingoes, two gold lions, and at least one life-sized Frankenstein.

While most of these were collected for their curiosity value, they would be sold for the right prices.

We bought our two little statues and loaded them into our car.  Estelle invited us to come by and just look around.  She seemed like a person who would enjoy conversation, and would be a delight to talk with further.   I’m hoping I can get back down here and find out more about her and this interesting place.

Tags: lawn art South Carolina statuary

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17 thoughts on “Concrete Heaven”

  1. Ken C says:
    February 21, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    That’s realy near mom and dad’s house. I get a kick out of the boat at the foot of the lighthouse.

    “Red” Southern used to have a similar place down in Princeton. I was never quite clear why two such businesses existed so near each other (about 5 miles).

    Reply
  2. Randy says:
    February 23, 2009 at 7:08 am

    I’ve been past the place several times, once spent some time wandering around, looking at all the concrete. Pretty cool stuff.

    Reply
  3. paulette cain says:
    September 14, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    love your place..found by accident on way to Myrtle Beach 09/04/11 bought my bird girl…and a cat and bird.

    thanks,..Paulette and Dennis
    Cornelia GA

    Reply
  4. Rebecca says:
    October 22, 2013 at 4:12 pm

    Do you have the giant rooster and if so how much? Painted…..

    Reply
  5. Brenda Sullivan says:
    March 11, 2016 at 8:59 pm

    Hi my name is Brenda I’ve been searching for a concrete bowl with concrete fruit and was wondering if you have anything like that.What are your hours of business?

    Reply
    1. Tom says:
      March 11, 2016 at 10:17 pm

      Brenda you need to contact the place directly. I have no connection to it other than having written about it.

      Reply
  6. Vintage Roadside says:
    March 23, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    Just a quick update to let everyone know Estelle is still open for business but having recently turned 91 she is starting to wind things down. She’s a wonderful lady who loves visitors. If you’re in the area we’d highly recommend stopping by and seeing if there’s something that would look good in your yard.

    Many of the fiberglass statues have been sold. We’re thrilled to have provided a new home for the Tastee Freez statue. He’s currently shipping across the country to us in Portland, OR.

    Reply
    1. Tom says:
      March 23, 2016 at 9:44 pm

      Thanks for the update. I had read about Jacob’s adventures with the Tastee Freeze. Glad it’s found a new home.

      Reply
  7. Ben says:
    May 27, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    I cannot find your phone number anywhere, but I ride by and see you are still in business. I’m looking for a new top for a bird bath I bought from you years ago. Can you please send me a good phone number so I can see if you have one – long ride from Greenville. Many thanks!

    Reply
    1. Tom says:
      May 27, 2016 at 8:38 pm

      I think you have misunderstood. This is not the website for the concrete company, but my personal website. I have no connection with the company in Ware Place.

      Reply
  8. Carrie Hodge says:
    June 11, 2016 at 9:09 am

    Hi, do you have any painted lawn jockeys? If so, could you send me a picture?

    Reply
    1. Tom says:
      June 11, 2016 at 6:06 pm

      Let me make this clear. I am NOT the owner of this business. I just visited, then wrote about it. I don’t have any lawn jockeys, and wouldn’t sell you one if I did have them.

      Reply
    2. Scott Durant says:
      June 24, 2017 at 10:08 pm

      If you’re going to be so damn snooty about people mistaking you for a website that sells lawn ornaments (like I did) then why the hell do you waste our time with your stupid website? Do us all a favor and take your stupid website off line and stuff it!

      Reply
      1. Tom says:
        June 24, 2017 at 10:11 pm

        Wow. This ignorance in your response is incredible. First, it’s my own damn website and I can be as snooty as I want without apology. Secondly no one is requiring you to look at it. I suggest you keep your damn mouth shut and stick with your porn sites.

        Reply
  9. Laurie Andrews says:
    January 12, 2019 at 11:45 pm

    I am delighted that you posted these photos. As a little girl, my dad was a Recruiter for the Marine Corps after his tours of duty in Vietnam. We lived in Greenwood 1971-74 and went to Six Flags Over Georgia a couple of times. Passing by the “big rooster” always meant we were close to home. On a whim I decided to try and see if maybe it was posted somewhere online and up popped your blog. All of a sudden, I was 5 years old in the backseat of our lime green Ford Galaxie 500 giggling with my sister at such a silly sight. I loved all that you shared too. I’d like to believe that Estelle is still there with Shoney’s Big Boy!

    Reply
    1. Jess says:
      November 12, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      Estelle passed away this morning.

      Reply
  10. Jess says:
    November 12, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    I’m Estelle’s granddaughter. She passed away this morning.
    She has already buried a son a few years back.
    She had two living sons and two living daughters.
    Gervase, Butch, Debra and Dawn.

    Reply

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