Four years ago Nikki Nihan, (who everyone calls Nik) moved to Hingham and instantly fell in love with the charming town and its kind people. Nik and her family own a residential and commercial cleaning company called Mayflower Maids, and she lives with a ten month-old rescue puppy named Liam, whom she absolutely adores. Recently, in light of all of the sad news, Nik came up with the clever idea of standing around town, dressed in a giant inflatable T-Rex costume, holding signs of encouragement to make people smile. The campaign has taken off, and now "Hingham T-Rex" has her own instagram account (@Hingham-trex) and is accepting requests for appearances for birthdays, or just for fun. She has quickly become a Hingham sensation and we are thrilled to highlight her as a Human of Hingham.
Hingham, meet Nik. (aka: Hingham T-Rex)
How did you come up with the idea of Hingham T-Rex?
Honestly, a couple of glasses of wine helped me come up with the idea of being a T-Rex in Hingham. I have always loved dressing up for Halloween, 5Ks, and even in polar plunges. I wanted whatever I chose to be "big." My boyfriend is a lieutenant on his fire department, and I have friends who are doctors and nurses, I really wanted to thank them in a way that could make them laugh.
Did you already have the costume, or was it a special quarantine purchase?
I bought the costume three weeks ago on eBay for my "make people smile" mission.
What is your favorite place in Hingham to show up and raise the spirits of passers-by?
Rt. 228 is fantastic, every time I have stood on Rt. 228, the response is loud and fun!
What is your most memorable moment of being Hingham T-Rex?
The very first day of being T-Rex, I was standing in front of a house, and all the little kids came out so excited and waving, one of them said "Hi Dino." I could cry just thinking about it. I was able to make people and children excited during this pandemic, if even for a few seconds; it's priceless! I don’t think I realized how much I needed to smile and laugh too, until I saw others cheering and laughing. None of us were handed a playbook on how to handle all of this, our lives and routines changed over night. But, what we do have is hope and laughter, and spreading that cheer has meant everything to me.
What is the funniest and/or strangest experience you've had as Hingham T-Rex?
The funniest moment for me so far has been a dance-off with a jogger running by; she won!
Now that you are accepting donations for T-rex appearances, what do you plan to do with the money you raise?
100% of the proceeds will go to Hingham businesses, I will be buying gift certificates with the hopes of helping them in some small way, and I will be using the gift certificates towards gift baskets for select moms on Mother's Day.
How will you pick deserving local moms to recognize?
I will be accepting nominations this Thursday. I will be encouraging people to nominate the extra special, above and beyond moms; for instance, a nurse on the frontline. To be fair, I will be picking the winners out of a hat; but let's be honest all moms should be recognized, especially with all that is going on! So to all you moms out there, you’re doing great and Happy Mother’s Day!
When you aren't entertaining the town as Hingham T-Rex, what are your interests?
I enjoy my friends, working out, silly sitcoms, being with my loved ones, and downtime!
How long have you lived in town, and what brought you here?
I moved here four years ago with no plan of ever choosing Hingham. I had gone through a very amicable divorce and wasn't sure where I wanted to live, but knew I needed to move. The waves of change brought me to this lovely town, and I feel truly blessed to be part of this unbelievable community. I have never in my life met so many people who truly care about others and have such a love for their town.
What is your favorite restaurant and meal in Hingham?
The Boathouse Bistro meatball pizza is my favorite go-to. The owners Tinka and Steve and all of their staff are always so welcoming and also do so much for the town.
What is your favorite place in Hingham to hang out when you aren't playing Hingham T-Rex?
Orange Theory in the Shipyard is my favorite place to hang out. The owners, coaches, staff, and members there are truly spectacular. It is where I have found some of my very best friends, it is truly my second home when I am not home.
To schedule a T-Rex home visit, you can private message Nik Michele on Facebook, or DM her via Instagram @hingham-trex.