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Barbie Q. Queen, following some cosmetic surgery to repair damage to her fiberglass, takes her place in a lineup with her new siblings, Harley Davidson motorcycles outfitted with new sidecars. |
Barbie Q. Queen's reign as the Virginia Barbeque mascot may have ended with an eBay auction last week.
But the 4-foot-tall fiberglass statue has been crowned ruler of a new kingdom--one where people ride hogs rather than eat them.
A Laurel, Md., couple with a local vacation home bought the pig for $1,500.99 through the online sales site, as an addition to their Harley Davidson collection. People often use the word "HOG," which stands for Harley Owners Group, to describe the motorcycle brand.
The pig's new owners declined to comment on their purchase and asked that their names not be revealed. But they e-mailed a picture and message from Barbie Q to The Free Lance-Star this week.
"As you can see, I am doing much better today. I've undergone cosmetic (fiberglass) surgery to repair my fractured leg; had a tail lift (from improper handling); and had my Mike Tyson ear repaired," she wrote. "I'm resting comfortably in an undisclosed barn (with my hog friends). I still need skin abrasion therapy and a new coat of paint (because of vandals who liked the color pink). I am most happy and can't wait to see the new 'ME.'"
In later correspondence, she asked that her whereabouts be kept quiet so that she can enjoy a peaceful retirement. She promised to send another update once the bruising and swelling from her cosmetic surgery subsided.
Don Waugh, owner of Waugh Enterprises in Orange, sold the pig's new owners the two Harley sidecars appearing in the picture with Barbie Q. He said he's confident she couldn't have found a better home.
The Hampshire hog ended up on eBay two weeks ago because Ramco-Gershenson Inc., which manages the Virginia Barbeque's Aquia Towne Center building, told business owner Frank Sopko he wasn't allowed keep her onsite. The building's lease requires businesses to comply with the landlord's sign requirements, which prohibit structures in common areas used by other tenants.
The animal has been a mascot for the eatery since its 2003 opening, in an old Roy Rogers restaurant on the other side of U.S. 1. It has brought attention to the business ever since.
Sopko and original owner Rick Ivey waged battle with county officials over their right to put the statue on the roof.
Stafford's sign ordinance prohibits rooftop displays. But Aquia Supervisor Paul Milde later used the issue in his campaign against board member Kandy Hilliard in the November election.
And just before Sopko moved his restaurant to Aquia Towne Center in March, vandals dumped a can of pink paint over Barbie Q's black-and-white skin.
Sopko considered moving the pig out to the front of the shopping center or to one of his other Virginia Barbeque locations, but decided he was tired of dealing with the controversy.
Nearly 900 people viewed the pig listing during the weeklong eBay sale, said Bette Ann German, whose Snappy Auctions drop center helped Sopko post, monitor and ship the animal. Four different people placed a total of 27 bids. And inquiries came from as far as Spokane, Wash., and Utah, German said.
One man was hoping to add Barbie Q to his collection of about 9,000 pig items. But he decided her weight and size would make her too expensive to ship.
Snappy Auctions in Garrisonville typically collects a 25 percent to 35 percent commission from all sales. But all proceeds from the pig will be donated to Stafford Emergency Relief Through Volunteer Effort Inc., which provides emergency food, clothing, utility and rent assistance to Fredericksburg-area residents.
"It was a great experience," German said. "I truly believe she's now going to a place where she won't have to worry about having to move all the time."
To reach MEGHANN COTTER:
Email: mcotter@freelancestar.com
