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Old World Village
Mixed-use village in Huntington Beach, California, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old World Village is a German enclave in Huntington Beach, California. It features shops, restaurants, a chapel, and a hotel.[1][2] Many of the proprietors of its businesses live above their establishments. This live-work arrangement is unusual for Orange County.[3][4]
About 40 families live in the village.[5] When it opened in 1978, the proprietors were primarily from Germany and Austria, but the Village has become more ethnically diverse over time.[6]
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History
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In 1952, Josef Bischof emigrated from Germany to the United States.[1] He was inspired by Ports O' Call Village in San Pedro, to create the shopping center Alpine Village in Torrance in 1965.[1] Wanting to have spaces to both live and work in the same place, he split with his business partners from Alpine Village to found Old World Village in 1978.[1][7]
Ownership of the 53 live-work units is distributed among private owners, with governance administered through a homeowners association. As of 2007, the Bischof family continued to own several of the commercial and residential properties.[8]
Controversies
In the 1980s, the village experienced an internal feud, with owners of the live-work establishments accusing Bischof of a "reign of terror".[7] An initial $2.1 million judgment in favor of the merchants was later reduced to $1.25 million (equivalent to $3,590,000 in 2024).[9]
In a separate case, Cathy Justine Adams, who operated the "Old World Psychic Reader" from 1985, was arrested and charged with grand theft after defrauding clients of over $400,000 in cash, jewelry, and vehicles. She pled guilty in 1991 to three felony counts and agreed to repay $150,000 in restitution to avoid prison time.[10][11][12]
In the early 2000s, the village experienced a series of antisemitic incidents reported by the owners of a Jewish gift shop, including vandalism, threatening phone calls, and hate-related graffiti. These incidents were part of broader tensions among some residents and businesses, and although they gained media attention, others in the village described the community as generally peaceful.[13]
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Description
Old World Village is active with various shops, cafes, and event venues. Its architecture evokes a stylized version of Europe, with cobblestone streets, stucco facades, and painted murals contributing to its distinct ambiance.[14]
Festivals
The Village holds annual German events, including an Oktoberfest[15] and dachshund races.[16] Over time, events for other ethnic and cultural groups have been held at the Village, including Greek,[17] Irish,[18] Scottish,[19] and South American[20] festivals. The village also hosts weddings[21] and quinceañeras.[22]
Legacy
Old World Village was parodied in the television series Arrested Development as the fictional English enclave "Wee Britain".[23] The village has also served as a filming location, often doubling for European settings due to its Bavarian-style architecture. It has appeared in television shows such as Hell's Kitchen and Welcome to Chippendales, and is part of Huntington Beach's broader efforts to attract film and television production.[24]
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References
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