Frank the Bunny mask pilfered from Olympia Eastside Big Tom’s ghoulish menagerie

Eastside Big Tom has a new Halloween tradition to go along with its food bank fundraiser and Zombie Holding Pen.

For each of the past three years, someone has stolen a mask from one of many monster mannequins outside the popular Olympia burger drive-in.

This year’s victim is the head of Frank the Bunny, whose furry body still clings to the white fence facing Fourth Avenue. Big Tom owner Mike Fritsch feels sorry for anyone who wears the missing moldy mask.

“The inside of it had to smell so bad,” said Fritsch, laughing. “There is no way you could put it on your head and not pass out.”

Last year, someone stole a mask from Pumpkin Head. The year before that, a Pinhead mask went missing until just after Halloween, when the unknown thief returned it.

A photo of Frank the Bunny was posted Thursday on Facebook and generated dozens of sympathetic comments.

“We always tell people, if it shows back up, they get a free meal,” he said, taking the whole thing in good humor. “It’s just stuff.”

Fritsch has always been a Halloween fan, and he said the display outside Big Tom is tame compared to the days when he decorated his North Street home.

Aside from satisfying his inner 12-year-old, Fritsch’s other Halloween tradition is collecting donations for the Thurston County Food Bank.

Starting at 5 p.m. Friday and continuing all day Saturday, Big Tom is accepting cash and canned food donations at the drive-in at 2023 Fourth Ave. E. The public and trick-or-treaters are welcome to stop by for free hot chocolate and candy.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Frank the Bunny mask pilfered from Olympia Eastside Big Tom’s ghoulish menagerie."