Six months ago, business partners Tara Southard and Amanda Lumdahl opened the doors joining their salon, Dexterity, and their new project: Caffe Niche.
Formerly Grunts and Postures, Caffe Niche is located on 779 East and 300 South. Just like the salon with which it shares a wall, the contemporary café presents contemporary artwork by local artists.
Interior of Caffe Niche
“We always featured jewelry, dresses, art and furniture over in the salon,” says manager Tara Southard, “so we wanted to carry if over into the café.” They’ve found that Caffe Niche gets more attention as a space for art because, unlike Dexterity, it doesn’t have a specific clientele.
Together, the salon and the café take up 4000 square feet with plenty of wall space. They are currently featuring photographer Stephen Wilson and painter Ellen McConnell. The artwork has been primarily networked through clients and family, but Southard and Lumdahl are working out a calendar and a schedule so they can take proposals.
Interior of Dexterity Salon
“Dealing with the art is another job in itself,” Southard admits. “We underestimated what we were getting ourselves involved in, but it’s going great.”
Caffe Niche is a proud sponsor of the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll. They’re open Tuesday – Thursday 8 am to 4 pm, 8 am to 3 pm on Sundays, and they are now open for dinner Friday and Saturday nights until 9 pm. In typical gallery fashion, they are closed on Mondays.
If you’re interested in showing at Caffe Niche and Dexterity, simply contact Tara (801.433.3380) or bring in a portfolio. They take 10-15% commission and hang every other month.
Laura Durham is the Director of Programming and Engagement for PBS Utah. She curates projects and plans events that utilize local and national media to provide entertainment and meaningful dialogue beyond broadcast. Prior to PBS Utah, Laura worked at the Division of Arts & Museums for 15 years, served as Vice President of the Salt Lake Gallery Association, Program Director for the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll, and was a board member for the Utah Cultural Alliance.
Categories: Alternative Venues | Visual Arts
