For those yet to experience the joy of a döner kebob, you should know that Spitz is officially open for bidness on Broadway [more to come on that in a couple o' weeks]. In the mean time, you should also know that we had a COLLECTIVE hand in the design of their new SLC space. Spitz owners, Josh and Tanner, studied abroad in Europe while in college, and the two fell tandemly head-over-heels with the street food that reigns supreme across the pond. This deliciously-rich backstory allowed us to dig into our own European adventures for inspiration.
It was important that we capture the street vibe that Spitz brings with their eclectic menu. In Berlin, where the döner kebob is king [and can be bought from any ‘ol food cart vendor], there are pipes and exposed infrastructure aplenty left over from the Communist days of yore. Rather than tearing it all out, locals have embraced their history as urban art. Oh, and then they painted the stuff bright pink. A conspicuous neon pipeline now snakes its way through the streets of downtown Berlin. This, in part, inspired the color we sprinkled throughout.
Another source of inspiration was Spitz’s stellar locale. Snuggly sandwiched between two downtown parking garages, the demure space could have easily been wallflowered into obscurity. The neon, paired with the slew of band posters plastered to the front windows and the outdoor patio that’s positively begging to be chilled upon, all ensured that this space does anything but blend. Because of the location, we wanted Spitz’s space to feel as though it’d been there forever. The concrete floors had to stay [stained with “years” of history], and we clad the bar with charred wood for another layer of faux antiquity. We commissioned a Utah-inspired urban mural from Ben Wiemeyer to lend the spot a stitch of street cred [paint splatters and spills were deftly encouraged]. The layered lighting that was installed lends a utilitarian feel--similar to a subway line in both fashion and function.
There's an old COLLECTIVE adage: we “follow the lead of the five senses and anchor the result in history and function,” and we take this wholly to heart. We feel that by doing so, it allows for a space that feels balanced, unique, and positively brimming with character. It allows each space to tell a story--and Spitz is serving up one for the ages. Bottom line, this spot serves up killer Mediterranean street food, the likes of which it’d be a crime to miss. They play great tunes and help you get to drinkin’ in all the ways you’d like [and in a space buttoned up for all of the above]. Feel free to let us know how much you love it.
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