Sons of Anarchy is an extremely popular television show which has garnered fans from several corners of life. Whether you’re interested in the crime aspect, motorcycle clubs, or just interested in a drama that has just the right amount of romance, this biker series has something for you. It packs more entertainment than you can fit in a mobile game.
We’re assuming most people reading this have seen the show. Whether you’re looking to boost your knowledge or just ace the next trivia night, here are ten things you might not have picked up about the Sons’ clubhouse during your run-through of the series.
Outdated Office Equipment
Many garages have outdated office equipment. Working on vehicles doesn’t necessarily require that individuals be the most tech-savvy. Teller-Morrow is no exception to this rule. Viewers of the series will know that among the bikini posters, most of the technology in the office at TM is quite dated.
While it isn’t uncommon to use older equipment in garages, the computer used in TM is especially outdated. Given that the garage is really a front for the gun-running gang of outlaws, the minor detail paid to their administrative equipment is a subtle hint to its true nature.
Fortifications
Watching the series, we know that the original clubhouse inside TM was home to the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original charter. While we saw that clubhouse destroyed later on in the series, we might not have noticed why a bomb was necessary to destroy the location.
The first thing you’ll notice during shots inside the clubhouse is that all of the windows are barred. This is certainly an effective measure against theft, but that isn’t where the fortifications end. Look at the gate in front of the parking lot. There’s even a ladder that Jax frequently uses to gain rooftop access. This compound is meant to be a stronghold.
JT’s Bike
Owning a motorcycle is an important factor in joining a motorcycle club. It comes as no surprise that the original president of SAMCRO and the former patron of the Teller family-owned one. Given the prestige of his name through the series, it also isn’t surprising that his bike in on display at TM.
What might catch some viewers off guard is the color. Throughout the series, we typically see SoA members riding black bikes and incorporating skulls and grim reapers onto their bikes. While there are a few exceptions, none match the departure of JT’s blue bike. This contrast is a nice reminder of how different John’s thoughts were from where we see the club, though it could move in his direction after the finale.
Photos
Each clubhouse has a wall that features mugshots of all its members and SAMCRO’s stronghold is no exemption. Across the wall of SAMCRO’s clubhouse, you’ll find shots of every member of the club past and present. But they aren’t alone.
We don’t actually see some of the individuals depicted. Since many of the photos depicted are a bit dated, it isn’t always easy to tell who is a current member and who might have passed on in the past. In the case of John Teller, his picture actually changes early on in the series, indicating that a different actor may have been in mind.
JT Is Alive?
Speaking of John Teller, his photo is a bit of an anomaly. Once the portrait accurately depicted the actor Victor Newmark all seemed well. That was, until we advanced throughout the series and saw additional images of former members.
Look, we know JT isn’t really alive. Teller seemingly isn’t even the only deceased member of SAMCRO who remains on the wall. The point here is that certain clubs seem to manage past members differently. While SAMCRO seems to venerate these individuals among the current members, SAMTAZ marks past members and the deceased with upside-down portraits and red taped X’s.
Filming Location
Admittedly, this one isn’t really a secret. Hidden in plain sight, it’s still a fun fact which most fans don’t know. Most of the interior scenes in Sons of Anarchy were filmed from the same location. Sets were built inside of the same location. Externally, that location appeared as the TM garage.
Here’s the part you might not know – that location is extremely accessible. It’s located right off of a regular road in Hollywood. Some of the series’ most iconic scenes were filmed at this location within easy access of fans. Maybe those bars on the windows served another purpose.
Phone Number
Speaking of real-world inclusions, Teller-Morrow’s garage once had a real-life phone number which viewers could call to hear a recording of Gemma informing fans that everyone was dead. The now-defunct phone number was featured in the second episode of SoA spinoff series Mayans MC.
Don’t get too excited – the number has been disabled since. But the phone number was linked to TM. While it would have been impossible for Gemma to have actually recorded this prior to her demise, the inclusion is interesting and offers fans an extra interaction with the world of SoA.
Safekeeping
Bobby Munson originally appeared in the very first episode of Sons of Anarchy. The character seems to have been a member of the club for some time, but during the series, he holds the positions of Vice President and Secretary. His character is known for providing the pulse of SAMCRO to Jax and Clay in times of need.
During his time as secretary, Bobby can be seen accessing a safe inside the clubhouse. This safe likely contains money and patches for younger members, but we’d like to know exactly what is inside. We’d also like to know where it went when the clubhouse was blown up.
Scoops
Speaking of which, SAMCRO’s clubhouse at TM found its demise during the series. During the sixth season of the series, SAMCRO was forced to find a suitable alternative site for their clubhouse. The club ultimately finds a new home in Jacob Hale’s ice cream parlor name Scoops and Sweets.
There aren’t a whole lot of details shown about the club’s new location. What is shown is that there isn’t any ice cream available at Scoops and Sweets once the club moves in. While they manage to set up a chapel upstairs, most of the coolers downstairs are filled with booze. Not really promoting the kid-friendly image.
Permanent Reminder
Eli Roosevelt was the Lieutenant in charge of San Joaquin county’s sheriff department when he arrived on the scene in season four. The character was morally opposed to the Sons, often targeting their organization in direct and indirect manners which illuminated his disdain.
In an interview, Production Designer Tony Medina described the process behind destroying the set for the clubhouse. In the series, we see Eli Roosevelt lead a team in wreaking havoc on the home of the Sons. What we might now see is the permanent scar on the reaper of the Sons’ table from Roosevelt’s fire ax. This scar remains as a reminder of this episode moving forward.