The distinct cowboy look and the much-loved product sold by83-year-old Robert Moak have given him recognition all over LincolnCounty.

Moak has had the honor of being called “the watermelon man” for15 years. He is best known for his presence at gas stations andalong roadways, standing with his leg propped up on the tailgate ofhis pick up truck, which bears large, ripe watermelons.

His image is etched in the minds of many people, who have eitherpassed by or stopped to purchase a juicy watermelon during thesummer months.

“We were down at the mall about two years ago and a little boylooked up at Robert and said, ‘There’s the watermelon man,'”recalled Juanita Moak, his wife of 63 years.

As he stands beside his fruits with his cowboy hat strategicallyplaced to keep the sun out of his eyes, Moak doesn’t yell catchyphrases to attract customers, and he doesn’t even have a sign topromote his watermelons.

“I don’t need one. The watermelons sell themselves,” he said,adding that he has sold over 2,400 this year.

The watermelons range in size, with the biggest one he ever soldweighing in at 55 pounds.

Although he sells watermelons at locations throughout thecounty, his most frequented post is at a gas station on Highway 84near Interstate 55.

Moak has been a farmer all his life, but he hasn’t grownwatermelons for the last few years because he says the job just gottoo tough as he grew older.

Now he buys his watermelons from local farmers, but not just anyfarmer, only ones who stand behind their products. He wants to makesure the watermelons he sells are the best around, and so far,people have told him they are.

“People will come back and tell me they bought watermelons fromme and that they were the best they ever had,” he said.

Sometimes, Moak even gets requests for his watermelons as earlyas December. He says people will call him at home and ask whenhe’ll have his first load. He usually sells watermelons from Marchuntil July.

Moak, who owned Moak’s grocery for 24 years, believes the bestpart of his job isn’t the sweet tasting watermelons, it’s theenjoyable time he spends with his customers.

“I like meeting people and talking to them,” he said.

He isn’t sure how many more years he will sell watermelons, butMoak knows he will always be remembered as “the watermelonman.”