Though the city now owns the old motorcycle building right off the busy intersection of East Monticello Street and Railroad Avenue, it doesn’t plan to open its own chopper shop.

Brookhaven purchased the building and property for $87,902 with money from the general fund.

“There are currently no plans on what the city plans to do with it,” City Clerk Mike Jinks said.

The building has been empty for several years.

“My aunt and I bought the building together in 1996,” said former owner Larue Lambert. “I believe it was originally a feed and seed store, then I believe it became a warehouse. I’m not quite sure, but I do recall it being a feed and seed store originally.”

Lambert wanted to sell motorcycle parts.

“When I bought it, I was looking for a place to start a motorcycle business. I always enjoyed motorcycles and had been looking for the right building to start my business,” Lambert said. “I opened up Whistlestop Motorcycle Parts and Accessories in the fall of 1996.”

Whistlestop sold various things, including parts and accessories for motorcycles.

“I sold mostly Harley Davidson gear. It was stuff you couldn’t find and the internet hadn’t really taken off yet. Back then, anything with Harley Davidson written on it, you could sell. People loved that brand,” he said. “You didn’t have the internet back then, so you had to go these type of stores to get the gear.”

In 2004, Lambert would eventually sell the name of his store and business to an interested party but kept the building for storage space.

Recently, Lambert sold the building to the city of Brookhaven.

“With all of the changes going on downtown, I wanted to sell it to someone who I thought would benefit downtown,” Lambert said. “I think it has a lot of potential. It’s a pretty big piece of property when it’s all cleaned up. I just think the timing was right.”