A classic Snerd can be found in Beaumont, TX and he was one of my early sightings back in 2011. At the time the place was still owned by Ken’s Muffler and Brakes but has since changed owners. I have yet to get back and visit again and he recently got a new paint job and no longer looks like the pictures shown here. Some may believe that all muffler men once carried a muffler and that most simply don’t have them anymore.  In truth, only a few came with mufflers but the guys at Roadside America happened to see one of these first and labeled them all as Muffler Men and the name stuck.

Midas ordered a few of their guys with mufflers but the largest order of muffler holding muffler men came from muffler shop owner in Dallas named Ken. Kenneth Johnson of Cleburne was a country boy who learned to weld for the railroad. He went to Atlanta to learn the muffler business, then came back to Dallas and became the founder and owner of Ken’s Muffler Shops. He also had shops in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Houston. Ken eventually purchased his first Muffler Man which was a standard version and still stands at I-35 and Illinois Avenue. This location was named Bud and Ken Muffler from 1965-1967; Bud was Ken’s brother-in-law. When they ended their business partnership the name was changed to Bud and Ben Muffler. Ken then expanded and purchased more Muffler Men. He wanted to be different than his Brother-in-law so he purchased Snerds on his next order with International Fiberglass. He placed the new Snerds at three of his shops in Dallas and this one in Beaumont. Ken passed in 2021 at the age of 92 and I had the honor of talking with him a few times on the phone before he passed. 

While all of Ken’s Snerds were shipped from International Fiberglass with yellow shirts and blue pants, this guy came off the truck in a red shirt instead. This was the last Snerd Ken purchased and it has been standing here in Beaumont it’s entire life. The giant has weathered a few storms over the years including hurricane Rita and hurricane Ike even knocked him half way over busting his shoe. After that he got repainted and set back upright, although his foot is still damaged from the tip. 

The snerd still has the International Fiberglass logo on his right leg. Ken’s no longer owns the building or the giant and sold in 2016 to the current owner,  Tyler Wharton who rents the shop out to “Leo’s Automotive” Leo’s recently repainted the giant to better represent their brand. 

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