Vinyl Taco highlights local art while raising money for Special Olympics

Aug. 9, 2019

The colorful interior of Vinyl Taco’s Sioux Falls location just got a bit more interesting.

On Aug. 1, the staff at Vinyl Taco hung records above the bar, all uniquely reinvented by local and regional artists.

The pieces are part of a silent auction the restaurant is running until Aug. 27 to raise money for Special Olympics South Dakota.

Entrance bids start at $50. At the end of the month, half of the winning bid will go to the artist and the other half will go to the charity, an organization close to restaurant co-owner Kirk Keupp.

“I got to know some of the people who worked there, and I have a niece whose daughter was born with Down syndrome, and as active as she is, I don’t doubt that someday she’ll be involved with the Special Olympics,” he said.

The organization originally contacted Keupp for help with a fundraiser of its own, a $20 tumbler cup filled with any drink from Vinyl Taco, and Keupp said the timing worked out perfectly for them to work together again.

All the money from tumbler sales will go to Special Olympics, and Keupp said Vinyl Taco has sold almost 300 cups in the three weeks since the fundraiser started.

At the end of August, Keupp will contact winners of the silent auction to congratulate them on their new artwork and invite them to a celebration that will include the artists.

Right now, 34 records hang above the bar, but Keupp said he’s still expecting a couple more.

“I’m really happy with the contributions we’ve gotten,” he said. “But I’ll be even happier at the end of the month when I find out how much we raised for the Special Olympics.”

The idea was sparked when tequila and beer companies started running advertisements in the restaurant on vinyl. Keupp said it’s a win for all: the nonprofit, the restaurant and the artists.

“In this space, we called on local and regional artists that helped us with some of the art we’ve got hung up on the walls,” he said. “In their world, it’s all about getting their pieces in front of people, so it’s one way we can give back to them and raise money for a good charity.”

To bid on a piece of vinyl artwork, speak to any of the Vinyl Taco staff.

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Vinyl Taco highlights local art while raising money for Special Olympics

You’ll love their creativity and love giving back to a good cause even more. Check out the local art on display (and for sale) this month at Vinyl Taco.

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