Don’t Duck, Take A Second Look!

Some sights in life force you to turn your head and take a second look. The Big Duck, a Long Island house shaped like a Peking duck that was formerly owned by Pouran and Kia Eshghi, is one of these sights.
The house was originally built in 1931 on West Main Street in Riverhead by duck farmers Martin and Jeule Maurer. The Maurers sold Peking ducks for a living and thought that a house in the shape of one would be a way to attract customers.
The structure stands 20 feet tall from the ground to the top of the duck’s head. It is 30 feet from beak to tail and 15 feet wide. Its eyes are Ford Model-T taillights.
In 1936, The Big Duck relocated to Route 24 in Flanders, Long Island, which is where Pouran and Kia used to drive by it frequently.
“In the 1970s, we used to go to the Hamptons a lot riding around, having a good time,” Kia said. “We always passed that duck.”
The two became regular visitors of The Big Duck, which was a take-out restaurant. They got to know the owner, who eventually sold the landmark to them.
“We were in love with that huge duck,” said Kia.
After purchasing The Big Duck, Pouran and Kia began fixing it up and making improvements to it. Initially, Kia, who is an artist, wanted to develop an art community on the property. However, when that didn’t work out, they decided to maintain it as a take-out restaurant.
During their time as owners of The Big Duck, they worked on promoting the location and registered the name. Kia said that they worked to build the name so that it was as well known as that of The White House.
At one point, the couple considered moving The Big Duck to a nearby piece of land that they owned in Hampton Bays on the waterfront. However, a friend pointed out that the people of Suffolk County loved the structure and suggested that they consider donating it to the county.
“I liked the idea and Pouran liked it very much,” Kia said. “We were not looking to make money out of it because we were looking to save the duck, either by putting it on our land or having the government look after it.”
So, in 1987, The Big Duck was donated to Suffolk County. It was eventually relocated to a spot further down on Route 24 closer to Hampton Bays.
“The day of movement was historic,” Kia said. “A lot of people came out.”
Pouran and Kia’s daughter, Donna, is making a documentary about The Big Duck.
The Big Duck, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is now maintained by the Friends for Long Island Heritage and is a retail gift shop that serves as the entrance to Sears Bellow County Park.
“The duck became a very famous piece and it’s still sitting there,” said Kia, who still drives by The Big Duck often. “The whole idea is the duck is still there (and) it’s in very good hands. Friends of Long Island is keeping it very well. People still go there with very good memories.”
For more information on the Big Duck Museum Store, call (516) 852-8292.