Looking for that perfect present? We have a HUGE selection of concrete figures to cover everyone on your list – so give the gift that lasts! Check out our selection online or come visit our shop. Merry Christmas!

HEAVY CRITTERS IN OSHKOSH IS HAVING AN ORNAMENTAL CONCRETE & FOUNTAIN INVENTORY REDUCTION, STIMULUS, CLUNKER, LIQUADATION & SALVAGE SALE. AN “IRSCLS” SALE. HI THIS IS CINDY FROM HEAVY CRITTERS…MAKE US A REASONABLE OFFER ON ANY BLACK TAGGED MERCHADISE. INCLUDING URNS…PLANTERS…BENCHES…STATUES…BIRDBATHS…FOUNTAINS…TRIBUTES…MEMORIALS…ANIMALS…ANGELS…CHERUBS…FAIRIES…BEAR…DEER…COWS…GARGOYLES…AND WHISMICAL CONCRETE, TO NAME A FEW. WE’RE OPEN MONDAY THRU FRIDAY FROM 11 TIL 5, SATURDAY 10 TIL 3, SUNDAY NOON TIL 2… SEE SOME OF OUR ITEMS AT HEAVY-CRITTERS-DOT-COM. WETHER YOU COMPLETE YOUR STAYCATION OR START YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, HEAVY CRITTERS IS TURLY A UNIQUE DESTINATION. EXIT HIWAY 41 AND 26…OSHKOSH, TAKE THE EAST FRONTAGE ROAD SOUTH. FOLLOW THE SIGNS, WATCH FOR THE SILO. DON’T MISS OUR ORNAMENTAL CONCRETE & FOUNTAIN INVENTORY REDUCTION, STIMULUS, CLUNKER, LIQUADATION & SALVAGE SALE. HEAVY CRITTERS…MAKE US A REASONABLE OFFER ON ANY BLACK TAGGED MERCHADISE AND IT IS YOURS.

Concrete Garden Art – Painting
Saturday, August 15, 10:30 a.m.-Noon

Learn concrete painting with this simply splendid, lovely, lively, lucky ladybug on a leaf project for your garden. Heavy Critters co-owner and instructor Linda Wachholz will teach the full color painting technique, explain how to care for concrete art, and share some ladybug folklore. Cost: $15 for workshop + $5 for materials.

Location: Heavy Critters, 3528 Nekimi Road, Oshkosh – MapQuest

The FOSC board would like to thank everyone who
helped in some way to make this event so
successful: signs in your yard, the committee, those
who bought or sold tickets, those who helped get the
word out, Miss Oshkosh, 4 Imprint, Culver’s, Linda
Green (the butterfly lady), Kossel’s TV, Peggy
Philippi, Heavy Critters, the FOSC Gift Shop,
WNAM, the Northwestern, WFRV TV, OCAT, the
Packer organization, American Family Ins., Bud
Marohn, Kitz & Pfeil, Pete and LaVerne Kersztyn,
Winnebago Senior Tours, and Kenny B. A big thank
you to all of the great volunteers who gave tirelessly
of their time before, during and after. A huge thank
you to all who came to this event with their
families—-this made all of the work worthwhile.

Our very own concrete mascot has a home at Circle R Campground, south of Oshkosh, as shown here in a picture courtesy of Oshkosh Northwestern July 08. What a statement!

The owners of Heavy Critters joke that they aren’t sure if they’re running a retail shop or museum. More than 6,000 statues made of concrete, granite, jade, boulder stone, lava rock and resin fill six buildings and the grounds around the Oshkosh, Wis., farmstead. The sheer quantity and the huge variety make it a destination attraction for people who just want to look.

Tom and Cindy Glatz, and Cindy’s brother, Ron Wachholz, and his wife, Linda, own and operate Heavy Critters on the homestead that’s been in the Wachholz family since 1915. The partners started their business 10 years ago after visiting a rural statuary business in another state and realizing that there wasn’t anything like it in Wisconsin. Heavy Critters is in a good location, just south of Oshkosh, near a busy intersection. “Our best advertising is our silo and our brochure,” says Cindy. She supplies Oshkosh hotels, businesses and tourist stops with brochures, and Heavy Critters painted on the silo makes a perfect landmark for visitors.

“If you can think of something, we’ve probably got it,” Cindy says, standing in the midst of statues that range from small concrete lady bugs that children paint at birthday parties, to fountains and 2,000-lb. statues. As members of the Ornamental Concrete Producers Association, the partners purchase from 22 statuary manufacturers that cover the gamut from wildlife and domestic animals, to saints and gargoyles, to a man holding a pizza and a Harley bench. So far the only request that Cindy hasn’t been able to fill is a spine for a chiropractor.

The business has grown through hard work, teamwork and networking.“The four of us had this great idea, but we never thought about who would do what,” Cindy says. “As it evolved, we each developed our own area without stepping on each other’s toes.” Cindy handles ordering, marketing and organizing events. Tom fixes and restores. Linda paints and custom airbrushes the statues. Ron moves and transports the statues. Until she died in September 2007, the Wachholzes’ mother, Virginia, loved to welcome and deal with customers. Cindy made good contacts through a local marketing network group. Through it she met website developers and marketers with creative ideas.

While the main focus of Heavy Critters is selling, the farm is also an event destination. Heavy Critters hosts birthday parties for children and fundraisers with a percentage of sales going to a specific cause. They also welcome bus tours and sponsor garden parties at their farm.

“We really are just a unique, fun place and we invite everyone to come see us,” she says. Heavy Critters is open from April 1 to Dec. 23. Prices range from $2 to thousands of dollars, but many items can be purchased for $25 to $100. Samples of available statues from one of the manufacturers can be downloaded on the Heavy Critters website. Just ask for whatever you have in mind, Cindy adds, and she can probably find it. Most items can be handled with a handcart and be shipped.

This article originally published by Farm Show
Vol. 32, No. 5, 2008

Fall is here and the cool weather is coming but this is no time to ignore your entry! Now more than ever is a great time to add beauty to your yard with a concrete statuary. The flowers are fading but concrete stays looking great no matter what the weather – so add that pizazz now for beauty all winter long.

Interested in hearing our recent radio ads?

We’ve added them to the website. Check them out at: http://www.heavycritters.com.