Seven years after it was built, the mammoth world head quarters for Orange County Choppers will be auctioned off in February. Located in Newburgh, New York the building was commissioned by and built from scratch for the Teutul family business that had humble beginnings and then grew into a pop culture Goliath on the back of the American Choppers television show. Featuring the antics of a pair of brothers, their dad, and a seemingly non stop rotation of employees in the shop, American Chopper quickly gained traction because of the strife and disputes that would erupt between father and son(s). Sadly, Paul Teutul sr. and his son Paul Teutul Jr. eventually fractured with Jr. leaving to operate his own motorcycle business.
Family problems aside, this building struck us as a maniacal idea when it was opened (and the economy was in free fall). Why? It seemed like the ultimate example of drinking your own Kool-Aid. Between the size of the thing, the fact that it had a restaurant, a bowling alley, and who knows whatever else buried inside it, the idea that a motorcycle business would perceive its own headquarters to be a massive tourist destination seems completely insane. Just think of the heating bill in this place? How many full time people were being supported at this building? Last we checked, the market for goofy choppers with horrid riding characteristics had shrunk to minuscule numbers as compared to what it was when the company was firing on all cylinders.
The family did crush the branding and merchandizing end of their business and we would bet dollars to donuts that during their most successful years, they made LOTS more on t-shirts than they ever did on motorcycles. The building is measured at 61,000 square feet. Did you know what an acre is 43,560 square feet? Yea, the building itself is basically 1.3 acres of space. The parking lot has 178 spaces, there is an underground parking area and it gets more and more wacky from there. We’re not sure what kind of business would even want a building like this to be honest. Maybe an indoor family fun center or something?
One of the things that the Street Outlaws guys should be commended on is not doing this to themselves. Their humble shop is still just that. They have not moved into some massive palace like these guys did. We’re not sure what the current state of affairs is between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. but we’re hoping they have patched it up because the reality is that the relationship is worth more than some crummy motorcycles and one huge ass building.
Click here for the full story on the auction of the Orange County Choppers HQ
I cannot imagine what or who would buy that in that area. I bet some kind of church.
How about ” Church of the V-twins”, “Church of the Loud Pipes”, “Church of the ….(?)”. Great idea.
The first outside photo looked like it could have been used as a normal motorcycle showroom, but looking through some more of the pictures, it’s way too big for that. The two things that look like they’d make the most sense would be a church or a sports center.
The AMA museum in Pickerington Ohio would fit in this place a few times over.
Talk about having an over inflated ego, but that was Paul Teutel, r for you.
I’d turn part of it into a car museum, part of it into a gun range, and the rest into a cigar lounge and strip club. I know I’d never go home…
That’s perfect! But it and I’ll manage it!
I can’t believe they held on to it for seven years?
How about a cake decorator superstore??
Screw the cake decorating. Cupcakes is where the big moneys is.
It’s the Biltmore mansion of the chopper reality show craze.
I’ll guess the bank lost their shirt.
Another reality TV show up in flames…. I say they clean house, clear all debt through bankruptcy, and come back in a few years just like Unique and Will Castro just did.
I like Jav343’s idea.
I’d buy it and turn it on to my zombie apocalypse HQ lmfao
It’ll be they’re new Hobby Lobby store…
They’ll buy it back for pennys on the dollar and make a Megachurch tax write of out of it.
Paul Sr. made a lot of money with his first company, which I believe, was Orange County Ironworks. He started building Harleys in his basement and it became a second business. As usual, TV inflated everyone’s egos and killed the whole thing. See how American Hot Rod nearly brought down Boyd Coddington’s business.
If Paul Sr is to be believed, it’s just the title of the property that is changing hands, while OCC has a 10 year lease there and is unaffected.
His comments:
https://youtu.be/j9Mgns6fllA
Humble no one knows what it means your actions and deeds defines you and you disrespecte yourself with these words and deeds