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This fall visitors to the new Campus Commons gallery are in for a unique treat. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 like 'American Pickers鈥� meets 鈥楿nsolved Mysteries,鈥欌�� says artist Helen Popinchalk. 

The Yucca Fountain was a popular local watering hole in its heyday, beckoning travelers who emerged from the desert with the promise of a cold, sweet milkshake. It was THE place to get a malt and watch the distant mushroom plumes expand in the stratosphere.

Now nearly 50 years after its mysterious closure, visitors to the Campus Commons will have the opportunity to experience the fountain as it once was - a local hub of activity and delight. 

鈥淲e were able to acquire this collection of relics and ephemera from the fountain, and as we were sorting through all of these items, we started to realize that there was this unsolved mystery/conspiracy theory that the former owner had developed. We were just so intrigued by this story,鈥� Helen says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to spoil the mystery too much, but I鈥檒l just tell you that it involves the yet unsolved destruction of Yucca Fountain by fire and the partial test ban treaty of 1958.鈥� 

鈥淵ou can buy the food, you can sit in the seats, you can sit in the booths and you can buy a hot dog for 10 cents, the same price as it was in the 1950s. It鈥檚 the ultimate transformative experience for us,鈥� Andy says.

Even if you can鈥檛 make it to the extravagant event on opening night, there鈥檚 not need to fret. Organizers already have plans for Yucca Fountain to play host to a diverse range of events over the next six months.   

鈥淲e鈥檙e approaching programs in a variety of ways, so we鈥檙e not just doing the typical artist talk with the artist and opening reception and then doors close," Pam says. 

Director and curator of the Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute, is already scheduled to give a brand-new talk, 鈥淲hen the Romance of the Road, Meets the Reality of the Gallery.鈥� Partnering with the Film Studies program at UNC, the gallery will also offer a series of atomic era film screenings in the space. 

But it doesn鈥檛 end there.

Pam and the artists have big visions for the space 鈥� everything from open mic nights, to pop up performances and ice cream socials. They want to hear your ideas 鈥� and as far as they鈥檙e concerned, the sky鈥檚 the limit.

鈥淚 think what鈥檚 so amazing about Yucca Fountain is that it can give back to so many different aspects of the community for an extended period of time. The opening will be great, obviously we鈥檙e very excited about that, but the fact that six students could meet in here and have a really cool atmosphere for a club meeting or a study night, or 80 people from the community could have a city hall meeting. I mean, what a cool spot for that. I think that鈥檚 a really unique opportunity for not just a gallery, but for an art installation to be able to provide an area to do that,鈥� Andy says.

In order to make those big dreams a reality, the needs your support.

鈥淲e really want it to be a collaboration with the community. It鈥檚 not often that you get to have the opportunity to help fund something that you are really interested in, that you鈥檙e really compelled to attend and go see,鈥� Pam says.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all about quality, so we need the support to be able to do the due diligence to make sure that the programs that we do are really intentional and impactful. That takes money, it takes funding,鈥� Helen says.

All programs hosted in the space will be completely free and open to the public. If you鈥檙e interested in submitting an idea for a program, or would like to contribute to the crowdfunding project that has been set up to support the Yucca Fountain鈥檚 unique programming, visit .

鈥淓ven if you can鈥檛 support, just come and experience it. Your body in the room is a form of support,鈥� Helen says.