News & Press
Geneva's Gone To The 'Hogs'
› Posted May 4, 2009
Geneva's Gone To The 'Hogs'
By Lee Benson- Deseret News - 5/03/2009LINDON — Care for some irony with your morning bagel, accompanied by a dash of incongruity and a scent of incredulity?
Geneva Steel has gone totally green. And it's selling Harleys.
Geneva Steel As It Looked Under Construction During WWII.
Recycled Construction From Geneva Steel Is Evident In Timpanogos Harley-Davidsion's Design.
Geneva Steel Is Present Everywhere Right Down To The Beams, The Wood Ceiling, and the Desks.
Visitors From I-15 South Are Greeted With A Similar Looking Structure As Was Present In The Geneva Steel Days.
The evidence can be seen here just west of the I-15 freeway at the corner of 600 South and Geneva Road, where the Timpanogos Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership stands as a testament that the more things change, the more they really change.
Across the street from what was once the Geneva Steel Mill, a massive structure built in 1941 that helped win World War II and belched out pollutants like so many billion unfiltered Camels before it went out of business in 2001, the motorcycle store is built largely out of parts salvaged from the old mill.
The roof, the lights, the trusses, the windows, the beams, the columns, the bricks, the mortar — they all used to be part of Geneva.
So did the wood in the desk in the office of general manager Rick Story.
So did Rick, for that matter.
He may look every bit the part of a Harley guy now — long shoulder-length graying hair, goatee, Harley rings on numerous fingers — but underneath it all beats the heart of a steel mill working man.
"I worked at Geneva in the 1970s. I was a union rep," Rick proudly states as he reclines behind the desk that was once some sort of hardwood siding at the steel mill.
He worked as a carpenter at Geneva in the mid-1970s when he was in his 20s and Geneva was in its heyday. As many as 5,000 people pulled shifts around the clock back then.
"The joke is I have to take a nap when I come to work," says Rick with a grin.
You have to be a recycled Geneva union man to fully appreciate that humor.
But as much as he appreciates paying homage to the old days and the history of the area, Rick Story quickly owns up that it wasn't his idea to raise Geneva from the ashes in the form of a motorcycle dealership. That credit goes to his business partner and the dealership's financier, Dave Tuomisto.
Tuomisto didn't personally work at Geneva, but his grandmother was a crane operator at the mill during the war — she was Rosie the Riveter on steroids — and his grandfather worked at the mill's power plant.
Tuomisto's roots and affection for Geneva run deep, and when he realized he and Story could build their new Harley dealership on property across the street from the torn-down mill, he was determined to use the future to pay homage to the past.
It helped that Tuomisto had just sold the Bajio Mexican restaurant chain he originated to a national chain and could afford it. No one argues that the green monument he built for $16 million could have been built for a lot less.
8,000 square feet, it may be the largest reclaimed structure in the country, not to mention the world's largest motorcycle shop. Besides the ubiquitous bikes on display and an enormous service area, there's a restaurant called "Marley's" (with a motorcycle drive-through window), flatscreen TVs, Doppler weather service, Internet access, and just in case you got a little dusty out there on the ride, showers in the back.
People come just to gawk. Harley executives who have seen it have been rendered speechless. Willie G. Davidson, scion of the legendary motorcycle family, called it a "Harley resort."
The building's grandeur hasn't hurt bike sales. Last June, the first full month it was open, Timpanogos Harley-Davidson sold 110 motorcycles. The faltering economy, falling gas prices and the winter months have since shown their effects, but for the year bike sales are still more than 700.
They also sell plenty of accessories, everything from Harley leathers to Harley lighters. And on one table they sell copies of Chris Dunker's book, "Dismantling Geneva Steel," a photographic record of the rise and fall of the old mill that used to belch smoke across the street.
Story says people come in to buy the book and ask him to autograph it.
"I have no idea what that's all about," he deadpans.
But who'd have ever thought? Here it is 30 years later, and a steel mill worker is now selling motorcycles under the same roof he used to sleep under.
Lee Benson's column runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com
It's Better The Second Time!
› Posted March 5, 2009
New Dealership Adds Green To The Orange And Black
By Julie DeHerrera - Thunder Press - 11/ 2008Lindon, Utah, July 25 --- There's a new motorcycle shop in town, Timpanogos Harley-Davidson® is being touted as "Utah's first Harley resort," a one-of-a-kind H-D dealership nestled in Utah County Valley between the Timpanogos Mountains to the east and Utah Lake to the west.
Made from recycled materials from many utah industrial landmarks the new Timpangogos Harley-Davidson is a "must see" for any motorcycle enthusiast. The "Stinker" neon sign in the foreground is the last remaining one anywhere. Vintage bikes and signs adorn every nook and cranny.
Dave Tuomisto is the "Walt Disney" to the new TImpangogos H-D concept. His vision of the buiding is a reality today.
This six-acre resort is the brainchild of owner Dave Tuomisto, who wanted to develop a world-class motorcycle resort with all things Harley-Davidson under one roof.
Tuomisto took his vision even further by using 75 percent reclaimed and recycled materials from various sources, including a nearby defunct steel mill.
"I wanted this project to be a 'green thing' so destined materials ( intended for a landfill) don't go to a landfill," said Tuomisto in January while conducting a tour of the skeletal building under construction at that time. Tuomisto's fascination with the Geneva Steel plant became a source of inspiration for the future of this Lindon landmark, and also caused him to reflect upon his grandparents and others who once worked the mill.
Not wanting to see this mill fall by the wayside, he contacted the people who were demolishing the World War II-era structure. Tuomisto was given the go-ahead to get what he could salvage and the rest is now, what could be considered, historical for future generations.
Architect Kevin Scholz was proud of the outcome. His company Scholz + Associates out of Orem, Utah, were the assigned architects for his huge endeavor.
"This is a great concept .... true to the culture of Geneva Steel," said Scholtz. He commended Tuomisto for his foresight and gumption in getting this building off the ground. Both agreed that this building should tell a story.
"Dave came in with what he wanted. It was like working with Walt Disney, a visionary guy," said Scholz. "He's real hands-on to get a good effect. This was a wonderful experience."
Scholz did his research and went to work on this green sustainable project. He successfully attempted to make Timpanogos H-D a part of American industrial culture and to stay true to Harley-Davidson's century-old roots.
Inspired by Milwaukee's H-D plant on Juneau Avenue and Geneva Steel, Scholz merged the two looks to create an industrial-looking building.
"This company is proud of it's roots and it's pride in being "American-made," remarked Scholz. "It seemed to be a real winning concept."
This building is not LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) certified but comes pretty darn close. It meets the criteria of utilizing reclaimed materials to save natural resources and the location of being just off Interstate 15, Exit 273. Holding it back is it's heating system, noted Rick Story, general manager.
This signature Bar & Shield deslership employs 56 people and includes on-site amenities such as Doppler radar screens, a lounge with flat screen television and comfortable recliners, motorcycle rentals, a bike storage area, showers, a full motorcycle service department, classrooms, a dyno room, decks and patios as well as the merchandise and apparel shop. The dealership has certified instructors for its safety and ridership classes and an on-site riding range. If all that makes the customers hungry, step right up to Marley's Grill for the gourmet Sliders which are mini burgers (if you've lived in the south, think Krystal's and White Castle).
Fast forward to July 2008 as this resort unveiled itself during it's grand opening. Technically, the store opened for business in May, but on this hot and dry weekend, Timpanogos H-D rocked inside and outside as band Royal Bliss, and Nazareth entertained the summer-attired and black leather-wearin' crowd.
Every inch of parking space was taken. Motorcyclists and eagers were parking across the way at the nursery and up and down the street with police directing traffic.
One of the first elements of the building that people can't help but notice is the 12,000 pound water tower atop the steel building emblazoned with "Timpanogos Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, Lindon Utah." Vertical pipes supporting the massive structure run through the inside of the building down to the basement. The whole structure of the building is supported by steel lattices, solid beams and trusses, metal, wood and brick with nary any plastic in sight. The store interior exposes those elements. Manhole covers with designs and scripts saying "Timpanogos" lie flush with the floor.
At the entrance of the store customers are greeted by a statue of Joe Petrali on a motorcycle by famed motorcycle sculptor Jeff Decker. A plaque reads that Petrali set a land speed record of 136.183 mph on a modified AD 61 c.i. streamlined motorcycle in 1937. That record held until 1948.
Tuomisto is an avid collector of vintage signs, motorcycles and other items. his warehouse down the street housed those items until the building was completed when they were transfered. Memorabilia include antique Utah Route 92 road signs, the last existing neon Stinker gasoline station sign and a "Santa Fe Trail System" sign. The mezzanine level holds several vintage motorcycles on the old wooden floorboards. There is a 1927 motorcycle looking every bit its age, that actually still runs. Lamps from an old railroad yard are mounted on the brick wall. Old fashioned and working doorknobs on oak doors are from the offices from the mill, according to Ben Davies, an instructor who was conducting tours. He noted that the locks are not on the outside of the doorknob, but inside the thin strip of the inside door between the knobs.
"It's a look that combines the nostalgic view of H-D," said a proud Davies in reference to the whole building. "It's so awesome to see this come together."
And on this weekend the motorcycle community united to hail it's antique H-D resort and the accomplishments of the dozens of people involved - from construction workers to engineers - to the staff.
Marley's: Rev Your Hunger At Harley-Davidson
› Posted January 21, 2009
By Mary Crafts -- Utah Valley Magazine - Jan / Feb 2009
Hamburger lovers, hold on to your hats "cause there's a new kid in town!" The beautiful new Harley-Davidson Store in Lindon is sporting a brand new kind of restaurant featuring sliders.
If you're unfamiliar with sliders, here's Sliders 101: They are mini hamburgers. They can be made with traditional ground beef or any number of other meats such as chicken, salmon, lamb, suck and even filet mignon. They can be topped with traditional fixings or new flavor combinations. For the hamburger enthusiast who just can't decide what kind to order, these are small enough you can try lots of flavors!
You may have seen this amazing new building just off the freeway at the 1600 north exit in Lindon. The massive building made of re-claimed steel and materials from Geneva Steel is a welcome addition to the changing face of the industrial area.
When I first arrived, I was a little unsure if I would fit in at an all-male biker hang-out, but as I strolled the Great Harley merchandise store, I quickly realized that women are welcome. I'm now sporting a great new Harley jacket complete with rhinestone studs!
If you arrive right at lunchtime, there are may be a wait as seating is limited, but hey move the counter line through pretty fast. The menu board is easy to read and also shows the daily specials, which are usually more adventuresome. I selected the three slider combo. I chose three different meats, and then the numerous topping options popped up on the register so I could quickly see all of the choices. My first choice: a classic Marley Burger Slider with Cheese, grilled onions and buffalo sauce. Second choice: a Turkey Slider with Cranberry Sauce and Mayo. Third choice: a Chicken Slider with lettuce, tomato and honey dill dressing. I loved them all!
Be sure to order the french fries seasoned with their special salt blend. Total yummm! My favorite part was the bottle of fry sauce with little cups right on the dining tables to I didn't have have to pay extra or keep asking for it. Next time, I want to try the Salmon Sliders.....then there's the Shredded Pork ones. Seems visions of sliders are dancing in my head! Two thumbs up to Marley's and their great new concept.
Remember to fill your life with scrumptious food and joy!
- Mary and Ron Crafts own Culinary Crafts, and award-winning catering company in Orem. Mary also hosts "Culinary Creations," which airs saturday mornings on KBYU.
Wasser Auf Fels: Timpanogos Ride
› Posted December 23, 2008
WASSER AUF FELS: TIMPANOGOS RIDE
Auf Deutsche ( In German )
Text und fotos: Horst Rösler
Klicken Sie an die Bilder unten, um die Artikel zu lesen. ( Click on an image below to read the article. )
TIMP H-D AUF DEUTSCHE ( In German )
› Posted December 23, 2008
Ein Dealer Mit Stil - Amerikas Außergewöhnlichster Harley-Davidson Händler!
Text und fotos: Horst Rösler
Klicken Sie an die Bilder unten, um die Artikel zu lesen. ( Click on an image below to read the article. )
RIDE 4 FALLEN OFFICERS 08 AUF DEUTSCHE
› Posted December 23, 2008
08 RIDE 4 FALLEN OFFICERS: AUF DEUTSCHE ( IN GERMAN)
Text und fotos: Horst RöslerKlicken Sie an die Bilder unten, um die Artikel zu lesen. ( Click on an image below to read the article. )
Geneva Steel - Reborn as a Harley® Resort
› Posted November 24, 2008
Harley-Davidson® Timpanogos
www.utahstories.com, September 28th, 2008
How the closing of Geneva steel-Utah's largest business for nearly 40 decades- has made so little impact on Utah county's hot economy.
The demolition of Geneva Steel indeed represented the end of an era. Geneva was originally a US Government facility opened to provide the mass quantities of steel required to equip the United States millitary for World War Two. In 1946 Geveva was sold to US Steel and flourished for over fiftiy years in Utah County.
But as cheap asian imports reduced the cost of steel by two thirds, Geneva couldn't compete and they declaired bankrupcy in 1997. Geneva was then bought out by Chris and Joe Cannon but the restructuring of the company failed to mount a comback, and they finally closed their doors in 2001.
ltimatly, it was the globalization of the economy, that caused Genva to fail. And of course you have folks on both sides of another big debate reagarding this topic. But Utah County has recovered extremly well since the loss of Geneva. Unlike the East, in Detriot and Bethleham Pensylvania. In which Beethleham steel closed down for good the same year as Geneva-- Utah county's economy has basically completely replaced the former economic output by Geneva Steel with high tech jobs provided from Micron, Novell, e-bay and Intel.
In fact the recent ranking of top economic areas in the United States put Provo-Orem in number one in the entire nation.
Enter Timpanogos Harley-Davidson®. Built almost entirely of reclaimed steel from the Geneva Plant this dealership is truly amazing. The owner Dave Tuomisto and his partner General Manager Rick Story are banking that you'll want to cruise on by and check out some of utah's unique history, and maybe buy a shirt or a bike. For anyone interested in Geneva Steel or Harley-Davidson® this is the place to be. Tuomisto's family once worked at Geneva steel and he wanted to create a building that was a fitting tribute to the workers and plant that served the Provo-Orem area for over 50years.
Yet another reason why I'm glad I live in Utah. Work in Progress Story--Photos and more details coming soon.
Visit http://www.utahstories.com/harley_timpanogos.htm
Timpanogos Harley-Davidson®
Where: 555 S. Geneva Road, LindonHours: 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, Saturday 9a.m - 4 p.m.
Call ahead for winter hours.
Info: (801) 434-HOGS (4647), www.timpharley.com
HOG Tied: Timps "Green" Delima
› Posted September 29, 2008
Hog Tied: A “green” Harley-Davidson dealership clashes with small-town landscaping ordinances.
By Eric S. Peterson- Salt Lake City Weekly- 9/18/2008Two years ago, Dave Tuomisto’s Utah County Timpanogos Harley-Davidson dealership was in pieces. Not because it was demolished, but because it had not yet been built. The massive motorcycle dealership/restaurant in Lindon, made from 70 percent salvaged material, is a testament to earth-friendly building and an architectural model for turning a junk heap into an impressive dealership.
The Lindon City Required white vinyl fence and grass don't really compliement dealerships style and overall mission.
Tuomisto’s goal is to sell mean machines but do it green. The only problem with the industrial-looking structure is that it’s just not “country” enough for the Lindon City Council. Tuomisto says that during planning and construction, the council offered him leeway on certain city ordinances. But now that construction is complete, he says, he’s been hit up with the ordinances in question—which will require him to place a strip of lawn in front of his business and surround it with a white vinyl fence.
The requirements are like having a “great-looking suit, and now we’re throwing a pair of tennis shoes on,” Tuomisto says. But it’s not just the clashing aesthetics of the rural country fence and lawn around the xeriscaped dealership that bothers Tuomisto. It’s also the fact that his building’s status as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified will be marked down because of the conflicting ordinances. The less-than-perfect certification by the U.S. Green Building Council will cost him in government tax credits and exposure in the architecture world.
Tuomisto started the project in 2006, after selling the rights to his successful Bajio restaurant chain. The 60,000-square foot structure is a motorcycle palace made from salvaged steel and rubble from the once-hulking Geneva Steel plant and concrete from the deserted truck stop that stood on the lot that Tuomisto purchased.
After years of planning and construction and after investing $15 million, Tuomisto wants people to see the future of construction. “Everybody leaves a footprint on Mother Earth,” Tuomisto says. “This dealership’s goal was to show how you can lighten that footstep.”
Ever excited to talk about the construction of the dealership, Tuomisto is reluctant to speak much about his current differences with Lindon. He does say the city has changed its message on the ordinances since his shop opened this past summer. “Their fallback is to say, ‘We did represent that but that’s not what the ordinance says,’” Tuomisto says. Lindon’s motto, “A Little Bit of Country” applies well to its city planning, where the lawn and fence are uniform throughout the city’s commercial zones, says Mayor Jim Dain.
“Any city that looks good has a streetscape that’s appealing and that repeats throughout town,” says Dain, adding that while the “streetscape” is uniform, Lindon gives business owners nearly free rein with their building designs. “We have very broad guidelines for what [business owners] do with their buildings.”
Dain has been a supporter of Tuomisto’s project. “As an architect and a mayor, I can say that Dave has done an incredible job,” Dain says. “We don’t have a real battle going with Dave. There are just some ordinances in our commercial zone that we’ve asked him to comply with, that apply to any commercial zone.”
While Tuomisto’s business is in a commercial zone, he still shakes his head at needing the fence and lawn for a nonpedestrian road. “It’s an industrial area,” Tuomisto says. “It’s not like anyone’s taking a baby stroller past to take their kid to go play in the Geneva Steel slag pile.”
Dain recognizes this situation is different. “Dave’s project is a unique building in a unique location in our city. Because of that we are willing to look at a possible ordinance change or an overlay district,” he says. Carl Carter, a friend and associate of Tuomisto’s and Lindon resident, has been following the struggle at the City Council meetings and thinks part of the problem has been a changing administration. “At first, he got the green light for everything,” Carter says. But that started to change the farther he went with the project. “In Lindon City’s defense, they did give him a lot of latitude at first,” Carter says.
The city did give Tuomisto more flexibility with the size of his billboard off Interstate 15, let him start operations before his permanent occupancy permit had been approved and even changed city ordinance to allow more xeriscaping in commercial zones.
The xeriscaping leeway was worked out along with the Utah Rivers Council which has been encouraging more water-wise landscaping ordinances throughout the state.
“The majority of city ordinances don’t address xeriscaping,” says Mark Danenhauer of the Rivers Council. “It’s really a major fault. These landscaping ordinances are outdated.” The council, through RipYourStrip.com, have been promoting removal of grass strips like the one Tuomisto has been forced to put in at his business. “We’ve found people who rip out 300 feet of grass save on average 5,000 gallons of water annually,” Danenhauer says. Danenhauer hopes that more cities will give homeowners and businesses the option to xeriscape. “Utahns are demonstrating that they want to have water-wise landscaping,” Danenhauer says. “And it’s important that city ordinances allow them to do that.”
Tuomisto however, has decided to stop fighting the city.
“It’s not worth my time. I’ve been to too many city council meetings,” Tuomisto says. “I’d rather play with my kids.” The struggle to make Tuomisto’s xeriscaped masterpiece a bit more country is one he doesn’t have any fight left in him for. “When I bought this property, I was picking up syringes and milk jugs full of urine that truckers tossed out their windows from the freeway,” Tuomisto says. “We’ve done a lot for Lindon, and we’d hope they’d give a little back.”
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Timp H-D Construction Time-lapse (VIDEO)
› Posted September 26, 2008
Timp Sept T.V. Spot (VIDEO)
› Posted September 24, 2008
H.O.G Heaven
› Posted September 7, 2008
H.O.G HEAVEN - TIMPANOGOS HARLEY-DAVIDSON RESORT RECLAIMS MORE THAN LOCAL HISTORY TO BUILD THEIR CHAPTER
Story By Geoff Griffin and Kathleen Curry. Photos by Dana Sohm and Harley-Davidson - For Utah Spaces - Summer 2008It all started in July 2006, with Dave Tuomisto drawing his idea on a naplkin for Rick Story. Tuomisto, the owner of Timpanogos Harley-Davidson, and Story the General Manager, were in San Diego for a Harley-Davidson convention. While eating hot dogs at a Padres' baseball game, they were discussing their need to get a new store open along the I-15 corridor. Tuomisto grabbed a napkin and drew a building he envisioned as being a football field long a football field wide.
TOP PHOTO: Dave Tuomisto and Rick Story have recently opened the Timpanogos Harley-Davidson "resort" in Lindon. The building is made from 80 percent reclaimed materials including a 75 foot tall, 11,000 pound water tower that sits on top of the building as a landmark easily seen from the freeway.
"He took things way over the top from the original concept, " Story laughs. From napkin to reality, two years later, Timp Harley is not only open as a Harley-Davidson "resort" complete with a restaurant sitting on six acres, but Tuomisto also pulled off his vision by putting together a green building that is built from 80 percent reclaimed materials. As Tuomisto puts it, "There isn't a Home Depot two-by-four in here."
ONE GREAT AMERICAN COMPANY CELEBRATES ANOTHER
The TImp Harley building in Lindon is notable not only because it contains relaimed materials, but because of where many of those materials came from - salvaged from the neighboring now - closed Geneva Steel Plant. Tuomisto wanted to use one great American manufacturing company to honor the history of another.
"You don't see anybody with a 'Costco' tattoo or a 'Toyota' leather jacket, " Tuomisto notes of the legendary fanaticism that Harley-Davidson has generated over the years. At the other end of the spectrum, he looked at the closed Geneva property and thought, "There's so many people who don't realize they're here because of Geneva Steel." Whether its because their ancestors worked at the plant - as Tuomisto's did - or they worked in a business that sprouted up to support Geneva workers. The plant originally began construction in 1941, was built in two years by 10,000 workers at a cost of $200 million and served as a source of livelihood to many Utah Valley families over the years. When Tuomisto was getting ready to build Timp Harley, Genva was set for demolition less than a year later, which would leave the area without a trace of a significant part of it's history.
"There was nothing here to memorialize it, when American industry is what made our country great," Tuomisto says of Geneva's history. "Harley-Davidson is one of the great American companies, and we wanted to help people remember another great American company."
"To have everything from there (Geneva) just thrown away would have been kind of sad," say Lance McDaniel, who is in charge of training and safety courses offered at TImp Harley. "My impression is that they've done something to save a part of the history of this valley. The character of this building just grabs you. You spend a lot of time just looking at things."
FROM GARBAGE TO BUILDING MATERIALS
Tuomisto, who built the Bajio Grill chain before getting into the motorcycle business, got a chance to your Geneva before it was torn down and discovered that "all they cared about was steel," which was going to be shipped off to a foreign country to be melted down. He was told he could take the wood and fixtures, but he only had four days before the wrecking crew took over. "I felt like I was competing against time, " he says.
Besides the Geneva materials, the Timp Harley building also contains materials fro the old Coca-Cola plant that sat at 950 S. West Temple in Salt Lake City, which was built in 1903 and demolished in 1999, and a truss that originated in the Ogden train depot in 1870. Timp Harley even brought in salvaged products from Milwaukee, Wis, home of Harley-Davidson corporate headquarters. "I hit the salvage yards and the pack rat guys with shotguns who say "Go away," Tuomisto says.
The materials that Tuomisto salvaged and used for the dealership include a 75-foot tall, 11,000-pound water that sits on top of the building as a landmark easily seen from the freeway, and a large neon sign for Stinker gas stations, which Tuomisto's uncle ran despite being confined to an iron lung for most of his life. For Tuomisto, the sign serves as a reminder of what a person can accomplish if they are determined. "Every time I see it, it makes me think, "What's your excuse?" he says.
Tuomisto hired and architect to draw up minimal plans for the Timpanogos Harley-Davidson complex, which includes class rooms, lounges, showers, a doppler radar center, a restaurant and a riding course in the back, but in the end, "All the plans are in my head. We haven't looked at the plans in six months."
IT TAKES GREEN TO GO GREEN
Using salvaged materials to build with is known as "green" building, which has it's benefits from an environmental perspective, but Tuomisto notes, "Building green costs more money and gives you more pain and suffering along the way."
Nevertheless, the trade-off was worth it for Tuomisto. "Building a building is the hardest thing you can do to the earth," he says. "At some point you have to think about the impact you're having. You just can't take everything."
Tuomisto realizes that some might question just how environmentally friendly a business that sell motorcycles can be, but he points out that Harley-Davidson cycles get over 50 miles per gallon and many of the great rides along the windy mountain roads are within minutes of the dealership.
Timp Harley is the first green building for the Harley-Davidson company, and with 80 percent reclaimed materials Tuomisto claims, "I don't think this has to been done before. This is probably the most reclaimed building in the western United States."
GOOD RIDES AND GOOD WORKS
"There used to be a stigma about riding a Harley - It meant you were a rebel, "Tuomisto notes. Story, who fits that image and has been riding since 1968, jokes, "I've been in style once a decade for the past four decades. I go out of style and back in style."
Whatever the current style, Harley riders these days come from all walks of life to bond around the bikes, often while participating in good causes. "Harley-Davidson brings the street hipster and the businessman together to do rides for charity, "Tuomisto says. "It brings the billionaire and the gearhead, or the lawyer or the dentist, together as brothers because of the motorcycles."
And once they get together, they usually end up doing something for charity. THe Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.s) at the TImpanogos dealership participates in a variety of rides to benefit everything from cancer research to providing quilts for children in pediatric wards. Timp Harley also has a room in it's basement set aside for what Tuomisto calls "my passion project" - taking tools that are usually used to customize bikes and using them to customize wheelchairs for children, right down to the flames and chrome.
While charitable works and green building practices are important to Timp Harley, in the end, it all comes down to having fun when getting on the road and getting away from everything. It's summed up in the phrase found on a T-Shirt Story likes to point out. "You can't hear your cell phone on a Harley."
Marley's Diner Will Have You Riding High On The Hog
› Posted September 6, 2008
Marley's Diner will have you riding high on the hog
Logan Molyneux - Daily Herald Thursday, 21 August 2008Even if you don't own a motorcycle, or don't even like them, you might want to stop at the new Harley-Davidson dealership in Lindon and try a mini-sandwich at Marley's Gourmet Sliders. The restaurant is on the west side of the dealership, near where the large outdoor tables are. If you use the main entrance to the building, you'll wander through racks of motorcycle gifts and paraphernalia to get to the eats. Follow your nose.
With so many options it's hard not to love the delectable little sliders. Could be the perfect afternoon. Ride on in. Have a slider and some fries and talk about Harley-Davidson motorcycles
You'll also need to know that sliders are maybe three inches square, cost $2.50 each, and at Marley's they come in Beef, Chicken, Turkey or Coney Dog varieties. One is enough for a light lunch -- if you also have an order of fries and a cup of frozen custard -- and two should be enough to fill most people, especially with the fries. Extra-hungry people can purchase the three-slider combo meal or a Full Brick -- 12 sliders, no extras for $24.99.
But a word of warning about the combo meals. They come with one, two or three sliders, a drink and either fries or a side salad. If you order the fries, normally $1.49, you're paying 21 cents more than if you ordered all three items separately -- some math nerd who ate with us pointed this out. If you opt for the salad, normally $1.99, you save 29 cents. So if you're pinching pennies -- like most of us -- and happen to like fries, order them separately.
Once you've got the food, though, you'll be making plans to come back. The sandwiches are served on soft, buttery rolls that are far better than any hamburger bun we've had recently. We liked the beef and coney dog sliders best, and you can dress your sliders how you like with any of a dozen toppings -- some, like bacon and avocado, cost extra. We loved the grilled onions.
The fries are incredibly thin. You almost have to group four or five together to make a bite worth the effort. Tables are stocked with ketchup and fry sauce, which is nice. Marley's also serves chicken tenders and a couple of salads, and the best part about either of these is the honey dill dressing they are served with. It's sweet and slightly tangy and so good with the meat or on lettuce.
The alternative, a spicy buffalo sauce, is something of a cross between the familiar orange wing sauce and barbecue sauce.
For dessert, there's frozen custard, in strawberry or vanilla on the day we visited. Have a few bites of that while you ask the guy at the next table about his bike.
Marley's Gourmet Sliders
Where: 553 N. Geneva Road, LindonHours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Prices: $1.49-$24.99
Info: 229-2469, www.marleys.com
Destination Harley®
› Posted August 19, 2008
Destination Harley®
Story By Geoff Griffin and Kathleen Curry. Photos by Dana Sohm and Harley-Davidson - For Utah Rides MagazineLINDON – Opening a place that sells a product qualifies as a “store.” Opening a place that offers an experience beyond buying a product qualifies as a “destination.” Beyond that, what does a destination need to have to qualify as a “resort?” That question is being answered at Timpanogos Harley-Davidson. As one of America’s most well-known brands, Harley-Davidson has previously referred to some of its stores as “destinations,” but the six-acre complex just off exit 273 along the I-15 is the first to be given the title of “resort” by the company.
TOP PHOTO: General Manager Rick Story and Dave Tuomisto Stand Proudly In The New Dealership
MIDDLE PHOTO: The entrance to the New Timpanogos Harley-Davidson in Lindon Utah.
Timp Harley earned the moniker because beyond being a place to buy motorcycles, equipment and HD clothing for men, women and children, it’s a spot where a biker, or somebody looking into becoming a biker, would want to go hang out for a variety of reasons. There’s a restaurant called “Marley’s” which offers gourmet sliders. Stop by before a ride and use Doppler Radar to plan your trip. Long-distance travelers can use it as a place to take a rest in the lounge and get cleaned up in the showers. Men and women who are curious about becoming riders can take a class on a special riding course in the back. Harley owners can join the H.O.G.s, (Harley Owners Group) and go on regular group rides. Or, you can simply go by to check out a unique building made mostly of scrap materials from the old Geneva Steel plant.
The fanaticism the Harley-Davidson brand generates among its customers is legendary. “You don’t see anybody with a ‘Costco’ tattoo or a ‘Toyota’ leather jacket,” Timp Harley owner Dave Tuomisto says. He previously built up the Bajio Grill chain of restaurants, and now wants to “bring the restaurant mentality of customer service to Harley-Davidson.”
Tuomisto first pitched the concept of an HD “resort” to general manager Rick Story in July of 2006 while the two were attending a Padres game in San Diego. Tuomisto grabbed a napkin and drew a building he envisioned as being a football field long and a football field wide.
“He took things way over the top from the original concept,” Story laughs. Less than two years later, much of the “resort” is open with a special Grand Opening Celebration set for the weekend of July 25.
Tuomisto and Story have put together a staff that includes a variety of people, all united by their love of Harleys. “We even have a pregnant accountant who has a cycle license,” Story says.
While Tuomisto notes, “There used to be a stigma about riding a Harley, it meant you were a rebel,” riding a hog has become culturally acceptable to the point where the Timp Harley staff includes several former law enforcement officers, particularly in the area of teaching courses for new riders.
One of those is Lance McDaniel, who is in charge of a motorcycle safety course for men and women who think a hog might be in their future. “The course starts with the idea that this person has never sat on a motorcycle before,” McDaniel explains. “It creates the perfect opportunity to determine if this is something you want to do.”
Timpanogos Harley-Davidson also offers rental opportunities, and the H.O.G. group for owners, which regularly takes groups of 20-40 riders on scenic rides.
“We’ve got people from all walks of life,” McDaniel says. “When you get together to ride, what you do for a living doesn’t matter anymore.” Or as Tuomisto puts it, “Harley-Davidson brings the street hipster and the businessman together to do rides for charity. It brings the billionaire, and the gearhead, or the lawyer or the dentist together as brothers because of the motorcycles.”
No matter their background, the one thing they can all agree on, it will be nice to have a Harley-Davidson “resort” in Utah.
Motorcyclist Ride For The Cure (Slide Show With Audio)
› Posted July 28, 2008
Motorcyclist RIde For The Cure
Audio & Photography By Tom Smart - DESERET NEWS Saturday, July 26, 2008
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