Mike Frates is a smart man. Clearly, he likes to keep his wife happy. When she told him she wanted the huge fiberglass cow that was being auctioned off at the Hilltop Butcher Shop when it was going out of business...he went up to Saugus with his checkbook open.

"It cost me $1500! And that was a long time ago...you're talking 15 years ago!" Frates said. "My wife wanted it for her birthday, so what are ya gonna do?" he shrugged.

Since then, Frates says the 250 pound Hilltop cow that sits on his Main Street lawn has become an Acushnet town favorite. "Sometimes, the cow will get decorated for Halloween. It's brought a lot of fun to the kids in town."

During its final days in business, the Hilltop Steakhouse's menus, plates, and even pots and pans were disappearing at a rapid pace. Many customers apparently wanted a piece of the 50+ year history of the Hilltop to remain in their homes forever. Over this past weekend, two of the Hilltop's famous black cows were stolen from the legendary Saugus restaurant before they closed their doors for good after serving dinner Sunday night.

Luckily, Frates and his wife have their very own piece of Hilltop memorabilia. The remaining cows in the Hilltop herd were taken away this week to avoid any more thefts. They will be sold or given away as gifts. When asked if Frates would bid on another Hilltop cow, he laughed and said, "Nope. One is enough!"

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107