Do You Know Where Lansing’s OTHER Rooftop Giraffe Lives?

Before giant air-filled gorillas or whacky waving arm-flailing inflatable tube men were a thing, Michigan businesses would sometimes build a huge "something" to attract attention. Some would choose Paul Bunyan, others a concrete gorilla, and others embraced lifesized zoo animals. One of Lansing's Meijer stores opted for a giraffe, but did you know it isn't the only one sitting on a roof in Mid-Michigan?

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In fact, the Meijer Giraffe's cousin(?) is only a 16-minute drive across town, and it isn't this one isn't alone.

Lansing Meijer's Giraffe

Ask any kid (or adult, for that matter) where they can find a giraffe sitting on a rooftop, and most will say you can find it standing atop the Saginaw Highway Meijer gas station in Lansing, Michigan.

It's been there since 1966, when, according to the City Pulse, it was too big to fit in the children's play area, so the contractor put it on the roof as a joke.

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Well, as you know, that prank became such an iconic symbol in town that when it was taken down during a renovation, concerned community members flooded Meijer with questions about its whereabouts.

Mid-Michigan's OTHER Rooftop Giraffe

Nestled on Cedar Street in Holt, you'll find Edru Skate, a staple in the area since 1956. This family skating facility has a skating rink (obviously), laser tag, ice cream, private rooms, and a mini zoo living on the roof, including a giraffe that may predate the Saginaw Highway Meijer's.

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While no one I spoke with at Edru could say for sure, it is thought that the giraffe, gorilla, turtle, zebra, and elephant have been a rooftop fixture since they opened their doors nearly 70 years ago. That would make Edru's giraffe the elder stateman of rooftop animals in Mid-Michigan and the highlight of many kids' days.