Faces and Places
Dec 06, 2016 03:35PM ● By Natalie Mollinet
In 1952 Santa arrived at the Santa Shack in a horse drawn sleigh in front of South East Furniture. Since then Santa has always arrived in style. (Laurie Bray/Sugar House photographer)
By Natalie Mollinet | [email protected]
Santa Shack
Since 1947 the Santa Shack has been a tradition in Sugar House. Many residents have been able to sit on Santa’s lap and some bring their grandchildren back to share the memory of the Santa Shack. Every year Santa arrives in a classy way. In 1952 he arrived on a horse drawn sleigh, and in 1962 he arrived by helicopter. This year Santa will arrive at Sugarmont Plaza the Saturday after Thanksgiving in a fire engine.
The Santa Shack has been moved around Sugar House, with its original home by the Sugar House Monument, then to Shopko in 1993, back onto the Plaza, then finally to where it is now at Sugarmont. But even though the Santa Shack moves around Santa has been able to find it every year thanks to all the children, pets and families that visit him.
In 2002 the Santa Shack needed major improvements, so much that when they picked it up the bottom fell out. In 2013 Mark Isaac, the director of entitlement and planning for Boulder Venture Development, asked Dino Furano of R & O Contractors for some ideas. With the help of Michael Upwall Design — a Sugar House business — a new building was built. The new house is basically a Tuff Shed and has two floors and was all built because the contractors didn’t want to let kids in Sugar House down. Since then Furano oversees moving the home to its location and refurbishes the home without pay every year.
The Santa Shack will open the Saturday after Thanksgiving and families and their pets can get a picture with Santa Monday through Friday from 3:30-7:30 p.m., and Saturdays 11 a.m.-7 p.m. On December 21, 22 and 23 hours will be from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The Shack will be closed Sundays and December 24.
