Pink, plastic, and perishing?

The pink flamingo began as an emblem of suburban style, faded as symbol of ultimate tackiness, and re-emerged as a showpiece of kitschy-coolness. Now, it's trying to avoid extinction.

The flamingo's maker, Union Products of Leominster, is scheduled to close Nov. 1, the victim of soaring energy and material costs, according to published reports. For a half-century, the company manufactured a variety plastic lawn ornaments, but none ever fired the imagination like the pink flamingos that sold for the less than $10 a piece.

Designed by Don Featherstone of Fitchburg, whose signature beneath the tail proves authenticity, the ornament went into production in 1957. Like other popular cultural icons, flamingos had ups and downs. But through it all, Featherstone steadfastly disagreed they were "tacky," insisiting they would add style to any lawn. "I think one would look elegant in front of the White House,'' he once said.

In Union Products's hometown, flamingos became a point of pride, said Mayor Dean Mazzarella, noting there's hardly a Leominster resident who hasn't been asked, "Can you get me a few flamingos?" Mazzarella added he has long tried to keep flamingos in his office, but they ultimately end up leaving with visitors.

The Featherstone flamingo, meanwhile, still has a chance to survive, athough probably somewhere else. Union plans to sell the molds to another company. Regardless, Mazzarella stressed, "We're still the birthplace of the pink flamingo, and you can't take that away from us."

Robert Gavin can be reached at rgavin@globe.com.