[Rear View]

Iconic Mouse Finds New Home

The iconic 10-foot-tall, 1,200-pound mouse, a recognizable landmark for 30-plus years at Atomic Pest Control, Memphis, Tenn., has officially relocated.

The mouse’s new home is Ringgold, Ga., home of Enviroguard Pest Control Services, a pest control business owned and operated by Lee Tubbs. Tubbs is a cousin of Carese Rice, former owner of Memphis-based Atomic Pest Control, which was sold to Allied Termite & Pest Control in December.

Enviroguard held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 18, to commemorate the mouse’s new residence. The mouse actually was relocated to Enviroguard in December, but this winter’s harsh weather delayed both the building of the platform and the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Tubbs told PCT.

The mouse’s new location gives it more visibility. “It’s about 40 feet from our office, which is right off Interstate 75 – facing north,” Tubbs said. “If you are driving south you can really see it, and you can also see it driving north.”

The famed Atomic mouse, now a part of Enviroguard, has eyes that light up red.

Tubbs had his electrician install a spotlight on the mouse, so it is visible at night. Also, while the electrician was doing the wiring he discovered that the mouse had working light bulb outlets in the eyes. “He put red bulbs in and it worked, so the mouse’s eyes are red and they blink.” Tubbs said when the mouse was at Atomic the blinking eyes were not functional because people would throw rocks at them and break the bulbs.

What has been the reaction to the mouse at its new location? “It’s gotten a lot of attention,” Tubbs said. “People driving on I-75 have pulled off at the nearest exit and found us. They’ve gotten their pictures taken in front of it, and some have even come into the office and asked about the history of the mouse.”

While Tubbs said it’s too early to tell if the mouse has actually helped attract new business, he said Enviroguard is in the process of rebranding itself with the mouse on its business cards, website, etc. — Brad Harbison

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American-Made Ant Blocks

Lindenwood Inc., a Grand Rapids, Mich., manufacturer of Uncle Goose children wooden blocks, has a new product that appeals to kids who love ants, yet won’t freak out moms who hate seeing them in homes: Antics Ant Blocks. According to the Uncle Goose website, unclegoose.com, “These blocks go marching four by four…hurrah, hurrah. Trails of ants connect on all six sides of these sixteen blocks, forming never-ending patterns for your kids to explore. Each set contains images of ant hills, a queen with her eggs, and a spider, the ant’s nemesis.” Fun and educational!