Let it be known: we L-O-V-E Dan Christofferson. Jillian knows him as “hubs”, baby Grey knows him as “pop”, but you (along with the greater part of Salt Lake City) probably know him as Beeteeth–artist, maker, and curator of curiosities. We’ve spoken before on a few face cards in the deck of SLC, and Dan is undeniably among them (our money’s on the Jack of Hearts). He’s has been slinging his spoils under the good banner Beeteeth for a while now, and chances are high that you’ve seen one of his pennants, posters, or other assorted bric-a-brac bearing enigmatic emblems from our salty city’s days of yore. The man is damn talented, and, lucky for each and every one of us, he’s got a new (touch it, feel it, it’s real) pop-up shop on Main. Lovers of design and the artfully-placed intricacy…here’s where you gather ’round.
The space is all at once familiar and mysterious–a nostalgic memory of the unknowable. The storefront (leased out by host, Big Cartel, for the next few months) has been deftly bespoke by Dan to fit his timeworn tastes. (And perhaps our pal–and Big Cartel honcho–Matt Wigham said it best: “It’s like if Wes Anderson directed a scene from Game of Thrones.”) Beeteeth pennants and be-patched denim jackets hug the walls, heavy velvet curtains add a bit of weight to the temporary space, and the whole place is painted a deliciously-vintage shade: Dusty Coral, to be precise. Welcome to “CURIO: Secret Artifacts from the Brotherhood of Beeteeth”. The space, for those who’ve born witness, is a testament to color, curiosity, and just a little bit of the creepy. Says Dan, “I wanted people passing on the sidewalk to stop and say, ‘Wait, what is this?‘… One woman came in and said she’d take two tickets. She thought this was a show.” Himself accustomed to the online marketplace, Dan relishes the opportunity to meet his customers face to face–to see what objects they engage first, what they pick up. As Brother Beeteeth tells it, “I’m interested in making stuff that stands out from the expected rectangle of screen printed posters. Something with a unique outline–a silhouette that feels vaguely nostalgic, and reminds you of that time when Gramps brought out his box of old stuff from before the war and got all twinkly-eyed with his stories.” His collection is latent with stately symbolism (think: bees, seagulls, all that milk ‘n’ honey goodness) that “illustrate stories of exile, industry, and the parched, sunburnt west”, so you know our Zion-lovin’ hearts are bursting. For now, you can find Dan and all his handsome handiwork at CURIO most days of the week (as Sundays go, well, “That depends on how well the baby slept,” says he). The shop is only running now through August 28th, so you’d do well to get in and get the goods before this little shop o’ wonders moves on.
CURIO | Mon. – Fri. 11:30am – 6:00pm, Sat. Noon – 6:00pm, Sun., totally up to Grey | 163 S Main Street
