Orr Auctioneers opens new building

From antique firearms, to farm combines, to houses and acres of land, Orr Auctioneers has sold it and more in the Jamestown area since 1971. The business has moved to a larger facility with more space for property.

Located about 5 miles south of Jamestown on U.S. Highway 281, the new 10,500-square-foot building has an 8,000-square-foot auction area.

The new facility offers Orr Auctioneers increased flexibility when setting up for farm equipment consignment auctions as well as increased traffic exposure, said Troy Orr, president and co-owner of Orr Auctioneers.

The location on Highway 281 allows for all of the farm equipment and other vehicles for auction to be displayed in one place. It also offers acres of room for expansion, Orr said.

On a day with nice weather, the auctions will be outside with all lots visible, he said. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, auctions will be moved inside to the auction area so prospective bidders will be able to view the lots in a PowerPoint presentation, Orr said.

But residential real estate sales, farm retirement auctions, business liquidations and estate sales all take place at the site of the property or items being sold, he said.

The new facility has been a project that’s been discussed for the better part of the past decade, he said.

“It’s been a long-term goal of ours to have our own facility/lot area,” Orr said.

Previously, Orr Auctioneers was located in Jamestown for 1 1/2 years, and before that it was in Ypsilanti, N.D., he said.

The company was started by Orr’s father, Cliff Orr, in 1971. Today it is run by Troy, Cliff, Cliff’s wife, Val, Troy’s wife, Bev, and Troy’s brother, Darron, Troy said. The idea for a new facility was something that they all came up with, he said.

There have been three auctions at the new facility so far — two land auctions and a farm equipment consignment auction.

At the first farm equipment auction on Sept. 11, 480 lots of farm equipment, vehicles, and recreational items were sold, he said. There were 118 consigners and about 1,000 registered bidders at that auction, he said.

“That’s a big crowd, 1,500 people at an auction sale is exceptional,” Orr said.

He believes the high turnout was due in part to the new facility and the convenience for buyers and sellers getting items to and from the lot.

“Auctions have always been very popular in this area,” Troy Orr said.

He said auctions are a social event and that, years ago, people would stay at the auction house and catch up with friends.

Orr said he believes auctions are popular because people want fast results whether buying or selling, and an auction is just the place to go if you want to sell or buy something fast in a fun environment.

“Auctions are exciting, they’re energetic, they’re fun,” he said. “There are always treasures that you find when you go to auctions.”

On average, Orr Auctioneers has approximately 50 to 60 auctions a year, Orr said.

“It’s very exciting times. I think this opens up a lot of opportunity and flexibility to putting together new auctions,” Orr said about the new facility.

For more information, visit www.orrauctioneers. com.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by e-mail at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: business, local, business, orr, auctioneers