Airport Auction: Bomb Truck to Become Mobile Wine Bar

A rundown police bomb squad truck sold at Pittsburgh International Airport’s annual auction will get new life thanks to a noteworthy buyer with plans to turn it into a mobile wine bar.

Franco “Dok” Harris, son of Steelers Hall of Famer Franco Harris, said he happened across an online listing of items to be sold at the Oct. 19 auction.

“Then I saw the bomb truck and I went, ‘Uh oh – one of those? I guess I kind of have to bid on this,’” Harris said. “The goal right now is to turn it into a portable wine bar for tailgates, for events – something fun where you put some seating, have some awesome wines and really make kind of a showpiece.”

Harris already registered the website Bomb.Bar, where he plans to post information about the truck. He envisions using the portable wine bar for fun with friends, rather than sales.

“You go to a lot of tailgates, you see a lot of really cool vehicles, and they used to be like ambulances and things like that,” said Harris, who unsuccessfully ran for Pittsburgh mayor and city council in the past. “But there’s only one bomb truck.”

Harris paid $8,500 for the truck, part of the busiest auction the airport has seen since it began nearly a decade ago. Sales totaled approximately $228,000.

 

More than 1,000 people attended with even more bidding online, like Harris did. Everything from jewelry to iPads and phones to a rice maker to abandoned vehicles were so