March 20, 2024, marks a date on which we look at with mixed feelings. After a long battle of “I don’t know what to call it…”, the distraught owner of the Launching Pad auctioned off the famous Muffler Man and he’s already moved to a better place.

Standing tall at a whopping 30 feet, the Gemini Giant has been the unofficial welcoming committee of Wilmington, IL, on our many many Route 66 tours.

This oversized astronaut, donning a space helmet and holding a rocket, isn't just any spaceman; he's a beloved landmark from the golden age of American road trips. Dressed to impress in his fiberglass spacesuit, the Gemini Giant guarded the Launching Pad Drive-In, inviting travelers and curious onlookers to snap a photo and maybe ponder, "What's a spaceman doing here?" With a cheeky nod to the Space Race era, and named after the Gemini space program this roadside giant offers a humorous glimpse into America's fascination with outer space and the open road.

John and Bernice Korelc opened a Dari-Delight restaurant in 1960 at the present-day location of the Launching Pad. The proprietors bought a 438-pound fiberglass Muffler Man figure for $3,500 at the annual National Restaurant Association convention. Seeking to capitalize on America's fascination with the Space Race, they rebranded the restaurant as the "Launching Pad" and had the statue outfitted as an astronaut with helmet and rocket. A naming contest was held at the local grade school to give the statue a new moniker, and Cathy Thomas's suggestion of "Gemini Giant" was selected as the winner. Since then, the Giant has become a famous iconography of Route 66, often appearing in national and international media alongside stories about the Mother Road. Its continued presence in Wilmington has become one of the most photographed destinations for travelers making the Route 66 journey.

The history of the Gemini Giant and Launching Pad are intertwined. The Giant's attractiveness as a tourist photo stop has brought more visibility to the business than a small, local, independent fast food restaurant could expect to receive otherwise, while the restaurant's success is needed to keep the Giant where it has stood since 1965.

Korelc retired from full-time work in 1986 but would continue to assist his daughter Sharon at the restaurant.

Both the Launching Pad and the Gemini Giant were inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2000.

2007 to Present

In 2007, Morey Szczecin purchased the Launching Pad and Gemini Giant from Sharon and her husband Jerry Gatties, marking the first time the restaurant and statue were owned by an individual outside of the founding family. The business struggled and began closing seasonally, and closed in 2010. Szczecin listed the property for sale with an asking price of $650,000.

An auction was held in April 2016, with a local couple submitting a high bid of $177,500. The bid failed to meet the reserve price of the auction, and the buyers and sellers could not come to an agreement in negotiations following the auction.

The property would remain vacant until late 2017, when the building, contents, and statue were purchased by the Gemini Giant LLC for a combined $300,000.

The business was forced to close as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Launching Pad Restaurant received a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $31,868 to maintain 25 reported jobs on May 6, 2020. They received a second round loan of $44,615 on March 10, 2021, this time reporting only six jobs. Both loans were forgiven.

The restaurant was approved for a Restaurant Revitalization Fund grant of $456,047 on May 19, 2021.

Efforts to sell the shuttered Launching Pad restaurant and the Gemini Giant were derailed in early January 2024 when property owner Holly Barker was given two ordinance violation tickets from the Wilmington Police Department as a result of Barker's destruction of her own property, on Jan 2. The Gemini Giant was auctioned off on March 20, 2024. The winning bid was $275,000 . A Wilmington press release announced the winning bid was made by the Joliet Area Historical Museum utilizing a state grant. The museum immediately donated the statue to the City of Wilmington, who will move it to the South Island Park.

Source: Wikipedia

Epilogue

As rides4you, we've witnessed countless moments of awe as riders encountered the Gemini Giant, a steadfast guardian of Route 66's legacy. Its departure marks the end of an era but also a new chapter. We're committed to preserving the spirit of the road, ensuring that every tour captures the essence of adventure and discovery that the Giant embodied. While we may no longer stop at its original location, the stories and memories will continue to inspire our journeys, keeping the legend of the Gemini Giant alive in the hearts of travelers.

Good riddance Gemini Giant! We'll miss you for a while.