Superdawg’s ‘Maurie’ and ‘Flaurie’ statues removed — but they’ll be back

Two cherished Chicago statues were plucked from their shared pedestal — and in Wednesday’s broad daylight.

Where could the plump, flirty figurines — beacons of bunless beef — have gone?

“Maurie” and “Flaurie,” the 12-foot-tall hot dogs atop the Norwood Park Superdawg restaurant on the Northwest Side, are getting a “spa” treatment, say the owners, Don and Lisa Drucker.

The figurines — originally made from chicken wire and a paper-mache-type material — will be repainted, reinforced and put back in three to four weeks, the Druckers say.

“They’ve been up there 25 years since the last time they were down. In Chicago, the weather takes a toll,” says Don Drucker. “So it’s time for a little spa treatment.”

“Maurie” is moved with the help of a crane from his perch atop Superdawg on Wednesday.

Courtesy Superdawg/Image from video

Maurie and Flaurie, named after the eatery’s original owners and Lisa Drucker’s parents, have stood atop Superdawg, flirting with each other since the restaurant first opened in May 1948. They’ve been taken down three times for cleaning and repairs over the years, and given a more durable fiberglass exterior.

“They’re in love with one another, just as my parents were. She’s the demure sweetheart, and he’s Mr. Strongman. She looks at him adoringly. He’s a little bit bigger than her — with his muscle arms,” Lisa Drucker said.

“Maurie” (left) and “Flaurie” have stood atop Superdawg at Milwaukee and Devon since 1948.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Superdawg is included in the book “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” The drive-in attracts visitors from all over the Unites States and beyond. A couple from Seattle, heading to O’Hare Airport, were among the dozen or so guests enjoying lunch Wednesday.

“It’s us and the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids,” Don Drucker says.

“Maurie” and “Flaurie” are set atop a flatbed truck and whisked away for some R&R on Wednesday.

Courtesy Superdawg/Image from video

The drive-in at Devon and Milwaukee has appeared in the 1980s TV show “Crime Story,” the movie “Sixteen Candles” and the Netflix drama “Sense8.” A second location, in Wheeling, opened in 2010.

The Druckers wouldn’t say just where the landmark figurines have been taken. A sign on the roof proclaims “Maurie & Flaurie will return super soon!”

“We don’t know where the movie stars go for their R&R. We don’t know where Maurie and Flaurie are for their R&R,” Lisa Drucker says.

For 76 years, their blinking eyes a beacon leading hungry travelers to Milwaukee & Devon, Maurie and Flaurie have stood a stoic watch with little respite from the elements.  After all that time, we figured they’ve earned a rest from the roof and a trip together to the SuperSpa! pic.twitter.com/1OqYfTfFz2

— Superdawg Chicago🌭 (@Superdawg) September 4, 2024

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