Beginning Tuesday, December 1 at 10/9c, 4 all-new episodes about the Sturgis Full Throttle Saloon will run on a new TV network I never heard about called Destination America. Destination America defines itself as an American digital cable and satellite television channel that is owned by Discovery Communications. The channel features lifestyle, historical and travel programming focusing on the culture of the United States with emphasis on paranormal entertainment… (To see The Video Teaser, Enter Password “fullthrottle”)
Until it was leveled by a fire last September, the Full Throttle Saloon billed itself as the “World’s Largest Biker Bar”. The Full Throttle Saloon revolves around three main characters: Michael Ballard, the owner and operator of the Full Throttle Saloon; his wife and marketing director, Angie Ballard; and entertainment director / resident rocker as the front man of Jackyl, Jesse James Dupree.
Since the Full Throttle Saloon is only open during the Sturgis Rally, Ballard has to make all of his money for the year in 10 short days, during which cameras capture the crazy biker carnival with a rare peek behind the scenes of a one-of-a-kind business.
The 1st episode will run Tuesday, December 1 at 10/9c, then December 8, December 15 and 22 at the same time. After the fire that burnt the Full Throttle Saloon to the ground in September 2015, Michael, Angie, and Jesse gather for a “round table discussion” about what the Full Throttle has meant to them and their extended family over the years. They discuss the fire that changed their lives and Michael will announce whether or not he plans to rebuild the Full Throttle Saloon.
Bet he will not rebuild. He has no money. Just a tee shirt shop, waiting for a buyer of his land.
Saw before one of his tv episodes and antics. I lasted 10 minutes. Stupid, stupid, and more stupid.
A former cellular king, bought his way into the biker world and then flamed out.
One thing is for sure. No matter who owns it or the name; it can never be rebuilt to the way it was and no one should try. If it is reopened someday it should be something completely different with all new themes much the way The Broken Spoke was although the Spoke was able to save much of the decor.
I’d recommend they build it a bit further out on a larger acreage too. I understand they are trying to make as much money as they can during the Rally but getting rich on every drink due to the high prices is pushing more people away. Any good bar owner knows the profit is in volume. If people are going elsewhere because the prices are too high then that ought to say something to management. The new Beaver Bar across the street did fairly well for their first time and they have the lease for 20 years there. They sold cans of beer for $2 all the time whereas TFS sold them for $5. You can guess where most people went to do most their drinking. Draft beer in plastic cups is a proven winner when sold at a fair price.
The Florida Beaver Bar across from the Iron Horse in Ormond Beach is knocking all the area bars with the two buck beers.
Went there one time. Ballard was in conversation close to me. Really disliked the way he was talking. Never came back. As crappy as the Broken Spoke campground.
Not a biker bar. Nice poser bar though.
He’ll do fine, one way or the other….just to a different crowd than I care to hang with. The TV show will attract maybe millions. Posers?, probably. Money in their pockets? definitely. The inventive Hollywood free market is alive and well in Sturgis.
All these emotional reality shows are the same, just the subject is different. Whether it be a logger in Montana, or a truck driver in Alaska, the producers don’t care…there is a market for those who’ve never been there, but want to escape to a totally different place if not for a little bit . Accuracy is an afterthought.
All opinions aside, Ballard is a salesman, and in some form or another, he’ll be back.
I’ll be dipped in pure “you know what” if his, and other reality shows are not highly scripted. Normal humans just do not talk that way. With those kind of TV shows it is either feast or famine. Usually famine, because it sells way better than feast. More drama, don’t ya know?
Watching a bar owner and his employees lay a bunch of traps so that the unsuspecting biker crowd can walk into them and get drunk is a little too much for even me. I seriously doubt if any business short of a drug emporium/whorehouse/bar & grill can make enough profit in only 10 days to survive in the long run. My God, beer would have to be $5.00 or more. Drinks $10.. or more. His business model sucked big time.
My guess is Ballard will take his insurance money and invest in another get rich scheme like making moonshine or opening up a flock of fire cracker stands.
Maybe he will? Maybe he won’t?
If it were me I’d sell it to the Chip
& ride off (with Angie) into the sunset !!!
he is a businessman so if it makes sense
& he can make $$$,he’ll reopen
Whatever i wish him & Angie (& Jesse) the best !
2 Harry, apparently he HAD been making enough in 10 days, and as reported a long time ago-there isn’t insurance money for him to take. I have no idea if he’s a horrible person or good actor, don’t care ’cause I’d never been and wasn’t planning to change that. I do know if his credit’s any good it wouldn’t take much to rent a circus tent for a temporary bar, and sell a zillion beers to the looky-loos next year ☺