Virginia Man Creates Homes for Bobbleheads

Virginia Man Creates Homes for Bobbleheads By Julie Carey

There’s now a special place for all those bobbleheads you collect during Nationals games. Or Caps games. Or even Red Sox games.

Ashburn, Va. resident Brad Wheedleton spends hours in his garage every day creating homes for the little guys.

He got the idea at the end of the 2014 Nationals season, after acquiring his newest bobblehead.

“Just looking at it and saying, this guy needs a place to go, instead of just piling up on a desk,” Wheedleton said.

Wheedleton went to Home Depot to pick up the supplies and built what he dubbed the first “Bobblehouse,” a mini dugout for the bobbleheads to hang out in.

Wheedleton posted his creation on Twitter and by the end of the night had 30 orders.

Today, Wheedleton has made more than 400 Bobblehouses and has patented his designs. His company is called Bobblehouse Industries.

It’s motto? “Protecting, organizing and providing houses for homeless bobbleheads everywhere.”

The job became full-time for Wheedleton when he was laid off his his job shortly after starting to make the Bobblehouses. The layoff made the decision to do Bobblehouses full-time easier.

Customers of Bobblehouse Industries can choose a design or get one customized. The most popular model runs for about $130.

Wheedleton has made customized Bobblehouses for Dodgers fans, Cincinnati Reds fans, and more. His next design: a Fenway Park Bobblehouse.

“I’m gonna call it the Bobblemonster,” he said.

Wheedleton’s wife says that before the Bobblehouses, she rejected many of his product ideas. Today, she understands better.

“He was showing me the Green Monster and I said, ‘That’s my favorite product,’ and he was like, ‘You say that every time.'” Cris Sgrott-Wheedleton said. “Well, I am a fan.”

Wheedleton intends to find a bigger manufacturing partner so that he can focus more on custom orders.

“I just love loving my job,” Wheedleton said.

Staff writer Chelsea Cirruzzo contributed to this report.