Less than two weeks before a section of Denton’s Fry Street is bulldozed to make way for a new development, volunteers are making plans to salvage a pop-icon mural that has fed the eclectic nature of the area since 1985.

DRC/Gary Payne

Chuck Buttram, director of ReStore operations for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, hopes to save the mural on the outside wall of the former Bagheri’s Italian restaurant location on Fry Street before it is torn down for redevelopment.

Chuck Buttram, director of ReStore operations for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, is trying to save the artwork painted by a Uni­ver­sity of North Texas art student. The mu­­ral, as well as other materials in buildings up and down the block at Fry and Hickory streets, will be stripped and sold in a public auction June 22, benefiting Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that provides housing to low-income families.

The block, just across the street from the University of North Texas, will be bulldozed beginning June 25 to make way for new retail, restaurants and services.

The mural features the faces of John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Beaver and Wally Cleaver, and the Fab Four: John, Paul, George and Ringo.

On Monday, Denton resident Jim Smith explained the history behind the mural on the patio at now-closed Bagheri’s Italian restaurant.

Smith, the former owner of Jim’s Diner, which later became Bagheri’s, paid for the mural in 1985 to give the building a new look.

“I wanted the diner to look old-fashioned,” said Smith. “I thought the painting would look good if it showed windows with characters eating inside.”

But in addition to the more famous pop icons, Smith asked the artist to add some Denton flavor to his diner’s appearance by painting Denton businessman Sheldon Newman and NFL football player Dennis Swilley.

“I chose Sheldon to be up there because he enjoyed the diner and was a regular Fry Street character,” Smith said.

Smith, who has lost touch with Newman, said that Newman owned a shop on Fry Street called Earth Wear.

Swilley, during his 10-year tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, took classes at the University of North Texas during the summers in the mid-1980s. According to Smith, Swilley would come to the diner every day.

“Dennis was a cool guy, and it was fun having a professional football player around every day, which is why he’s the athlete on the wall,” Smith said.

Newman and Swilley could not be reached for comment on their likenesses on the mural, and the attempt to salvage it.

A waitress at Jim’s Diner named Sean Eichman painted the mural while studying art at UNT, Smith said. The Denton Record-Chronicle was unable to reach Eichmann.

The Record-Chronicle is seeking more information about the mural, as well as information on the whereabouts of Eichmann, Newman and Swilley. Call 940-566-6912 or e-mail drc@dentonrc.com.

According to Buttram, finding out information about the mural, and finding bidders for it, is only half the battle. The other, more difficult half lies in removing the old cinder blocks from the wall without damaging the painting.

“The mural is probably our most valuable piece, so we’re going to take our time with it,” said Buttram. “It won’t be an easy task, but I have faith in my experts.”

Two of his consultants, Russell Allison of Allison Home Services and Roy True of True Homes, are experienced handymen in Denton. Bill Weeks of Cross Crete Decorative Concrete in Denton will offer his expertise to the project. Along with Buttram, the four will work with volunteers from the community on the next two Saturdays — June 16 and 23 — to salvage the mural and the other buildings’ contents.

Weeks believes that the condition of the cinder blocks will ultimately determine the project’s success.

“There are several ways we could do this project. The actual blocks have to be in decent shape if we’re going to pull them out. If they’re filled with rebar, then we could cut around and pull them right out. If they’re hollow, we’ll have more trouble,” Weeks said.

The age of the blocks could be a problem, he said.

“Sometimes, older blocks crumble more easily, but not in all cases. If there’s steel running through the blocks, I’m not worried about age,” he said.

The auction, which Habitat for Humanity will host on June 22, will give participants a chance to bid on a painting of their favorite character. The five portions of the painting each measure 4 feet by 4 feet, which will be sold in separate sections.

Auction attendees can also bid on other building materials: banisters, tin ceiling tiles, doors, telephone stands and more.

While he hopes to save each painting, Buttram said he will not charge the highest bidder if the purchased portion is damaged during its removal.

While Buttram will do everything he can to save the mural, he realizes that there are no sure things in construction.

“We’re going to do everything we can to salvage that mural. If it doesn’t work out, it was going down anyway,” said Buttram. “I think it’s just important that we try.”

ANDREW BARGE can be reached at 940-566-6912.