SHUT: mantra of a small mountain town

This sign is quite a lie



SILVERTON IS CLOSED





When I first visited Crested Butte in 2006, I loved that when stores were finished with business for the day, a simple sign of "Shut" hung in the window. Nearly every business there adopted this method.

Years later, I've driven through Silverton Colorado numerous times, transporting myself between two temporary homes: Telluride and Pagosa Springs. On our last adventure through, I amped Jackie up, telling her about this really cool coffee shop that sold nice winter hats - Mobius. Yet, everytime we've attempted to go, we met a shut door by near minutes. That's hopeful: at least they open at some point. Some of the following pictures show that there are places in Silverton that completely close for the winter. That was one of my favorite parts about taking photographs of Silverton's shut-ed-ness: it wasn't like Crested Butte in it's cutesy "Shut" simplicity. Each business had their own way of conveying the idea that it was not open. Whether it be a sad bear outside, a lack of illumination on an OPEN sign, multiple methods, boarded up or newspaper-ed shop windows or an intimate handwritten note, Silverton certainly has personality - nothing has to actually be open to know this.

CLOSED






where do the rogue snowboarders stay?








really?









there really wasn't one place to eat - we had to wait until Ouray to eat chocolate and scrap cookies at Mouse's... and that crazy 6 espresso shot cayenne drink :-!




the handwritten sign on this one says "Come on in, Warm Inside" directly next to the CLOSED: will return sign that says 12:20. It was 2:30.

Handwritten


I like the personal touch to this one . . . understandable!

Gone for the Winter




They wanted to get their signs up for all the people passing through in the winter

Boarded up


Purple!




A columbine, Colorado's state flower, painted onto their Shut for the Winter board. Nice touch.


I really wanted to check this place out.


Where do the locals get their Swedish fish?!





unlit open sign














Does Kodak even exist anymore?



multiple signage



no sign, simply locked up.


A sled shop that is Closed in (for?) the winter. What?


Just in case a' lootin', gates!

kid hieroglyphic


This store-owner decided to be different than all his fellow business owners in town and let Molly, his 5 year old daughter, design their SHUT sign.


Snowmen are doomed here: