A 5-foot-tall stuffed elephant that has become part of a Highland Park children’s store's identity went missing Wednesday, and store owners have put out a public plea for help.
"Our friend, Ellie the Elephant, who has been standing outside of Sprout Kids for the past two years, welcoming families in to the store and putting a smile on the faces of Downtown Highland Park shoppers as they pass by, has gone MISSING," the store posted on Facebook.
The toy went missing just before 3 p.m. July 24 during a sidewalk sale at Sprout Kids and Beanstalk Toyland and Bookstore, in the 600 block of Central Avenue.
The stuffed animal in question, named "Ellie" by a local child contest winner, is a Hansa-brand gray elephant and is known by locals as a mascot of sorts for the store.
Anyone with information about the disappearance is asked to call SproutKids at 847-780-4827.
