Verkamp's Curios Store

Verkamp's Curios Store. . , Inspired by Grand Canyon's burgeoning tourism trade, in 1898, John Verkamp established a small tent shop on the South Rim, selling American Indian arts and crafts. Profits proved meager, so John sold his inventory to the Bright Angel Hotel and closed his shop. Returning in 1905, John built the permanent store you see today. His business prospered; indeed, it was his only business to survive the Great Depression. In 1936, John, his wife, and their four children moved into the apartment above the store. John managed the store until his death in 1944. His children, and eventually his grandchildren, operated the store. When it closed in 2008, it was the last echo of the canyon's pioneer businesses., $4.98. A good day. , -John Verkamp's ledger entry on the opening day of his permanent curios store, January 31, 1906, Captions , Verkamp traded flour, sugar, and other items to local tribes in exchange for hand-made jewelry, rugs, and pottery, which he sold from this tent in 1898. , Verkamp hired El Tovar architect Charles F. Whittlesey to design his new store. Today, it serves as a visitor center.