What is Michael Ballard's Net Worth?
Michael Ballard is an American bar owner and motorcyclist with a net worth of $10 million, best known for owning the Full Throttle Saloon, the self-proclaimed "world's largest biker bar." The reality TV show, "Full Throttle Saloon," chronicled life at the bar over six seasons, primarily airing on truTV.
Early Life
Born in 1965 in Trimble, Tennessee, Michael Ballard earned a reputation as a "hell raiser" and was even nicknamed "Little Al Capone" by local police. His passion for bars and liquor started early; at just 12, he would sneak into the town's largest bar, the Silver Dollar Cafe, through the back door.
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Full Throttle Saloon
Ballard's career began in the cellular phone business, where he owned Cellular Plus. In the late '90s, a trip to Sturgis, South Dakota, inspired him to sell his company and purchase 30 acres of land. He built Full Throttle Saloon, a massive indoor/outdoor bar and recreation complex featuring multiple restaurants, a tattoo parlor, stores, performance stages, a wrestling ring, a zip line course, a burn-out pit, 200 cabins, and ample parking.
Open from March to mid-November, Full Throttle Saloon sees up to 20,000 visitors per night during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August. The bar goes through two tractor trailers worth of beer each night, receiving deliveries between 3 am and sunrise to accommodate the heavy biker traffic.
The bar welcomes a diverse crowd, attracting both regular blue-collar workers and bikers. Despite the challenges and high operating costs, Ballard's focus remains on making the facility profitable during its critical July and August season.
(Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Reality Show
In 2009, truTV approached Ballard to develop a reality series about Full Throttle Saloon. The show premiered on November 10, 2009, and ran until 2015. It documented Ballard's efforts to keep the bar financially viable during its short season, which draws around 300,000 patrons.
The show also featured Michael's girlfriend Angie Carlson, who worked as the bar's Marketing Director. Angie led a team of dancers known as the "Flaunt Dancers," performing shows at "Angieland," a specialized bar within Full Throttle. One of her signature dance moves involved sitting on a gentleman's head.
In 2013, after the success of Full Throttle Saloon, Ballard returned to Trimble to launch "Michael Ballard's Full Throttle S'loonshine," a moonshine distillery. The liquor is distributed nationally, and the distillery has become a popular tourist attraction.
