Mobile speakeasy skids short of opulent objectives

A Utah businessman who made a deal with an Orange County vintage vehicle renovator to convert an old school bus into a luxurious mobile bar and lounge claims that he got a bus loaded with defective equipment instead.

Loren Rothman, of Moab, Utah, accused Hudson Trailer Co., Washingtonville, and president Suzanne Hasz of deceptive business practices in a complaint filed on May 13 in U.S. Federal Court, White Plains.

Rothman says he sunk $127,000 in the bus based on assurances that it would be “stunning, beautiful, and include superior material selection,” the complaint states.

In 2022, he formed Stargazer Social Club to provide mobile catering services and luxury rentals for events such as weddings. He bought a 1981 Crown Supercoach, “the Rolls-Royce of school buses,” according to his website, and looked for a fabricator to deck it out as a mobile bar and lounge.

His idea, according to the complaint, was to create a “wholly immersive space, comparable to a mobile speakeasy, that would impress his clients with its feeling of elegance and opulence.”

It would include interior and exterior beer taps, for instance, a Bluetooth stereo system, and a paint job reminiscent of classic cars from the early 20th Century.

Hudson Trailer Co.’s website presented itself as a leader in customizing vintage vehicles, the complaint states, that imbues “each space with the owner’s unique style and personality to create renovations that are stunning and highly functional.”

Rothman says he rejected another company’s quote for $92,070, and agreed to pay Hudson Trailer at least $123,250.

On June 1, 2023, he picked up the renovated bus at Hudson Trailer’s Jacksonville, Florida shop.

During the drive back to Utah and when he got home, he claims, he discovered several defects.

The Bluetooth stereo was wired incorrectly and was not powered by the electrical system that was independent of the bus battery, according to the complaint.

The draft beer kegerator was the wrong model, was improperly fastened, and damaged the floor.

Carpentry was of poor quality, and a countertop did not include spill protection to prevent fluids from leaking on electrical components.

The air conditioner did not include a specified heater, and it was wired improperly and frequently tripped the circuit breaker.

A photo booth and printer were inoperable.

Portions of the bus roof were unpainted or thinly painted, and an improper seal allowed rain to damage the bus.

Rothman claims he will have to spend more than $60,000 fixing alleged defects. He says he also had to refund deposits and turn away bookings.

He is demanding unspecified damages for alleged deceptive business practices, false advertising, fraudulent inducement, negligence, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment.

The complaint was filed in Orange Supreme Court on March 29 and moved to federal court at Hudson Trailer’s request.

Hudson Trailer’s attorney, Armando Llorens, did not reply to an email asking for his client’s side of the story.