Old World Village

Old World Village
Neighborhood
Entrance sign to Old World Village
Old World Village
Coordinates: 33°44′05″N117°59′49″W / 33.7347096°N 117.9969182°W / 33.7347096; -117.9969182
Country	United States
State	California
County	Orange County
City	Huntington Beach
Founded	1978 [1]
Founded by	Josef Bischof [1]
Government
• Body	Old World Owners Association [1]
Area [1]
• Total	8 acres (3 ha)
• Land	8 acres (3 ha)
Population [1]
• Total	150 (approx.)
ZIP code	92647
Area code	714
Website	visitoldworld.com

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]

History

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 $3,590,000in 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]

Description

Shops and residences in Old World Village, 2021

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]

References

1. Burris, Annie (March 18, 2008). "What's to become of Huntington's Old World Village?". Orange County Register . Archived from the original on March 22, 2008.
2. Lee, Gregory (1993). The Best of Orange County California. Jasi. ISBN   978-1-881409-05-2.
3. Young, Karen (June 10, 1988). "Old World Village Captures Bavarian Flavor". Los Angeles Times . p. OC_E5.
4. O'Dell, John (February 23, 1991). "Piggyback Apartments Work Elsewhere in County". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif. p. 5.
5. "Old World Village". Los Angeles Times. September 16, 1989. p. OC_G2.
6. Westcott, John (September 22, 1988). "Old World village brings a taste of Europe to OC". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. p. b02.
7. Lucas, Greg (April 29, 1986). "Old World Village Suit to Go to Jury: Business Owners Accuse Developer of 'Reign of Terror'". Los Angeles Times.
8. Burris, Annie (August 9, 2007). "Who Owns Old World Village?". Orange County Register. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
9. Spano, John (June 18, 1986). "Shopping Center Award Excessive, Judge Rules". Los Angeles Times. p. OC_A2.
10. Horton, Kristina (September 7, 1991). "Psychic Pleads Guilty in Theft". Orange County Register. p. B02.
11. Gollner, Phil M. (March 23, 1994). "Fortuneteller Repays Clients to Keep Jail Out of Her Future". Orange County Register. p. B05.
12. "Future's Bleak for a Seer Who Admits Fraud". Los Angeles Times. September 7, 1991.
13. Kornhaber, Spencer (March 19, 2009). "Old World Village's Rep as a Haven for Skinheads Is the Least of the Huntington Beach Oddity's Problems". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
14. Michaud, Anne (June 24, 1993). "Huntington Beach's Old World Village: Easygoing Vendors, Hard-to-Find Wares". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
15. Kinsler, Robert (September 29, 1995). "Old World's Oktoberfest a Deutsch treat". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. p. 63.
16. "Corrections". The Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. October 28, 1994. p. A02.
17. "Old World Village". Los Angeles Times. June 8, 1990. p. OCF22.
18. Perry, Susan (March 17, 1988). "Ways to Go for the Green: Irish-Heritage Celebrations Take a Festive Turn". Los Angeles Times. p. G12.
19. "Old World Village Scottish Festival (advertisement)". Los Angeles Times. February 14, 1988. p. OC_A6.
20. Pasles, Chris (July 20, 1988). "Harpist Taps a Multi-Ethnic Background to Make His Music". Los Angeles Times. p. EOC13.
21. "Old World Village Serves as Wedding Center". Los Angeles Times. February 14, 1992. p. OCE12.
22. "Heels over head". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif. March 29, 2000. p. 5.
23. Coker, Matt (May 23, 2013). "Arrested Development's Orange County". OC Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
24. Fletcher, Jaimee Lynn (January 24, 2013). "Hollywood Zoning in on Huntington Beach". Orange County Register. Retrieved April 7, 2025.