Found this in daily heights posted by SheJess. Makes sense to me::
March 20, 2006
Sherita is actually a misspelling for “She Rita,” for starters. Short for, “This is Rita, the brontosaur, and our faithful promotoer of heating fuel. Come on by, check out our rates!” As everyone knows, fuels, especially ‘fossil’ fuels, come from the deceased likes of our pink friend, here.
Hi Anne! Any update on Sherita? I somehow never saw this billboard until recently. I posted it on Instagram and it that led me to you! My IG is vintage_imageNY to check it out. There’s also an older picture of the sign with what I would guess is the original heating oil company business occupying the building. I did a search for Sherita hashtags and it surfaced. Let’s pic up the trail and figure this out!
Thanks for the Sherita deep dive! Just came across your article after pointing her out to a friend in Prospect Heights who had surprisingly never noticed her watchful eyes until then. I've found her a fascinating character throughout the 20ish years here in Brooklyn, and always wondered about her origin story. Having recently moved around the corner from that intersection, it brings me a certain comfort to now claim her as a neighborhood protectorate.
Pre-graffiti with more clarity than the 2015 pic, but still fairly weathered. The corner storefront is still that of the Home Heating Oil company, before the flat fix shop took over the entire building.
Also curious: the top left panel was missing in the 2015 pic, but had been replaced by the time the graffiti pic was taken. Wonder if whoever made the fix could fill in some details.
Thank you for attempting to solve this mystery! I've been so curious about Sherita for so long. The only information I can add to your investigation is that I checked the 1940 and 1980 tax photos of the address and she did not yet exist in either. She must have been born sometime after 1980.
Anne I can’t thank you enough for researching Sherita I knew you were the right person for the job! I had no idea she was a dinosaur or what the whole sign used to look like so that’s part of the mystery uncovered at least, and I look forward to any more details you unearth!
I wish the Mayor of New York was the governor of Florida. Sigh. And I will spend the rest of the day wondering why Cars Vs. Giant Bulge made me laugh so hard.
Fun as usual. My favorite part of the Sherita investigation is the stock photos of people smiling quitel earenestly, apparently because there is a great fuel oil opportunity. I imagine the child is asking, "Father, where does snow come from?" -- as for your Mayor, I posit that he is modelling Vegas boxing promoters, ala Don King with that tuxedo.
The Sherita mystery is incredible! I know we don't have an answer yet, but I'm loving the journey. You're working local sources (shout out to Nut Truck!), online searches, and most of all doing the legwork. This is really good stuff! I don't know if this helps, but if the sign has been there "forever," maybe there's a Brooklyn historian who can shed some light on this mystery. Alternatively, you might consider tweeting this mystery to Eric Adams. He's a cop and weirdo, so this case seems right up his alley.
My two cents: Maybe write a snail mail letter to Mr Thomas at his home address. He must be old (like me) and would take a hand-written letter more seriously than a phone call or email. Include the picture of the sign too. That will also show you are serious.
Who is Sherita? A Brooklyn Mystery
Found this in daily heights posted by SheJess. Makes sense to me::
March 20, 2006
Sherita is actually a misspelling for “She Rita,” for starters. Short for, “This is Rita, the brontosaur, and our faithful promotoer of heating fuel. Come on by, check out our rates!” As everyone knows, fuels, especially ‘fossil’ fuels, come from the deceased likes of our pink friend, here.
Hi Anne! Any update on Sherita? I somehow never saw this billboard until recently. I posted it on Instagram and it that led me to you! My IG is vintage_imageNY to check it out. There’s also an older picture of the sign with what I would guess is the original heating oil company business occupying the building. I did a search for Sherita hashtags and it surfaced. Let’s pic up the trail and figure this out!
Thanks for the Sherita deep dive! Just came across your article after pointing her out to a friend in Prospect Heights who had surprisingly never noticed her watchful eyes until then. I've found her a fascinating character throughout the 20ish years here in Brooklyn, and always wondered about her origin story. Having recently moved around the corner from that intersection, it brings me a certain comfort to now claim her as a neighborhood protectorate.
Here's a pic I took of her back in January of 2007: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3gh65vuc2rnd8ut/IMG_0039.JPG?dl=0
Pre-graffiti with more clarity than the 2015 pic, but still fairly weathered. The corner storefront is still that of the Home Heating Oil company, before the flat fix shop took over the entire building.
Also curious: the top left panel was missing in the 2015 pic, but had been replaced by the time the graffiti pic was taken. Wonder if whoever made the fix could fill in some details.
Thank you for attempting to solve this mystery! I've been so curious about Sherita for so long. The only information I can add to your investigation is that I checked the 1940 and 1980 tax photos of the address and she did not yet exist in either. She must have been born sometime after 1980.
https://1940s.nyc/map/photo/dof_3_02020_0001
I love the "before and afters" in the HHO ad. All of my other thoughts and prayers have been shared by others.
Anne I can’t thank you enough for researching Sherita I knew you were the right person for the job! I had no idea she was a dinosaur or what the whole sign used to look like so that’s part of the mystery uncovered at least, and I look forward to any more details you unearth!
I wish the Mayor of New York was the governor of Florida. Sigh. And I will spend the rest of the day wondering why Cars Vs. Giant Bulge made me laugh so hard.
Fun as usual. My favorite part of the Sherita investigation is the stock photos of people smiling quitel earenestly, apparently because there is a great fuel oil opportunity. I imagine the child is asking, "Father, where does snow come from?" -- as for your Mayor, I posit that he is modelling Vegas boxing promoters, ala Don King with that tuxedo.
Incredible, how that silly picture uncovered such a story of survival.
There are amazing people all around us. It’s unfortunate that our focus is usually on negative stories instead of stories like this one
I agree with Giuliani!
THIS IS THE FUCKING STUFF (sic)
As soon as I saw "Sherita" she reminded me of the art of Florine Stettheimer: https://www.artnews.com/gallery/art-in-america/aia-photos/florine-stettheimer/2-12806/
Tell me what you think?
The Sherita mystery is incredible! I know we don't have an answer yet, but I'm loving the journey. You're working local sources (shout out to Nut Truck!), online searches, and most of all doing the legwork. This is really good stuff! I don't know if this helps, but if the sign has been there "forever," maybe there's a Brooklyn historian who can shed some light on this mystery. Alternatively, you might consider tweeting this mystery to Eric Adams. He's a cop and weirdo, so this case seems right up his alley.
My two cents: Maybe write a snail mail letter to Mr Thomas at his home address. He must be old (like me) and would take a hand-written letter more seriously than a phone call or email. Include the picture of the sign too. That will also show you are serious.
wow. amazing. also: https://ourtimepress.com/an-atlantic-avenue-story/ –– Sherita has been in the press before....
Lets GO Anne! You can solve this thing. Worst case, just make something up but make it an amazing story! 😂