The ‘Mo-Pho’ bus will be heading to Hartford: Owners of the new Connecticut entertainment venue on wheels say it’s a ‘vibrant, artistic’ city

A 30-foot-long double-decker bus from Liverpool, England, that’s being transformed into a traveling venue for intimate concerts, art shows, dancing, creative photo shoots — and anything else envisioned — should be hitting the road by the end of summer.

Hartford is sure to be one of the communities where “The Mo-Pho,” bus hosts events on its statewide adventures. It’s a favorite Connecticut city of owners Teresa Joseph and business and romantic partner Chris Randall.

The couple last year famously did a photo shoot and community engagement activity in Bushnell Park with the tall, willowy Joseph dressed in a Sasquatch costume and Randall, a professional photographer, shooting the interactions.

Joseph found Hartford “vibrant, artistic, enjoyable,” she said.

“All I could see is that beautiful bus on Pratt street,” Joseph said. “I have an absolute obsession with Pratt Street.”

Mo-Pho stands for mobile photo studio and “is fun for people to say,” because of its other meanings. It’s not a photo booth or a party bus, and it won’t be carrying people while moving.

Its is an onsite mobile venue where Joseph envisions intimate concerts, art shows, yoga classes, workshops, dancing, photo shoots and general celebrations. It can also be used as an extension space for restaurants or retail venues.

“The opportunity is limitless for collaboration,” Joseph said. “I’m always trying to find a way for multiple people to partake.”

The rough vision for “The Mo-Pho” came to Joseph a couple of years ago on her six-minute drive to work. The day before that, she and Randall had gone on a downtown New Haven adventure — she dressed like a kitty, and he a bunny.

The couple started taking photos and the public engaged.

“Everyone wanted to pose with the kitty and the bunny,” she said. At some point, a happy observer put $1 in Randall’s costume.

“We gushed that we had made our first dollar together just being our ridiculous selves,” Joseph said. “I realized we both love bringing people joy.”

That gave her the idea for a mobile photo studio, but it wasn’t financially feasible at the time. Instead, the couple who live in New Haven started the more-affordable “The Notorious P.I.C.” photo booth business.

It was a sidestep to The Mo-Pho, although Joseph never let that vision go. The Mo-Pho moved to reality after Joseph was given a small lump sum of money from a property her mother sold. While she was looking for a vehicle, she built up additional funds.

She didn’t want a van, so commonplace for photo businesses. Instead, she ultimately purchased a double-decker bus in August 2021.

The double-decker bus is 30-feet long, 8-feet wide and, with the hard top, stands 14 feet, 6 inches. It’s a three-season bus that sat 78 when it had seats, so she’s estimating that’s what it will be able to handle as a venue.

The vehicle previously belonged to Liverpool Football Club, “a hop-on, hop-off” bus used to transport people to games, Joseph said.

It was sent from Liverpool via cargo ship and, once on land, driven by a car dealer they used in the United States.

The couple had it painted turquoise before it was shipped and are now renovating the inside. They took out the red bus seats from both levels and are redoing the flooring. A contractor will add seating, lighting and audio on the bottom floor. The top floor will remain totally open for dancing, meditation or whatever the customer wants it to be.

“It’s going to be simple,” she said. “It’s open for versatility.”

Part of the business will involve facilitating photo shoot parties with a real photographer and limitless themes. For instance, Joseph said there could be a Garden of Eden theme. Customers can create their own scenarios, or the artsy Joseph can do it for them.

“It’s about facilitating ridiculous things,” Joseph said.

The couple hopes to have a soft opening by the end of summer.

“Everything takes longer than you think and more money than you think,” Randall said.

Randall said there’s a lot of “excitement” in the community around The Mo-Pho, conspicuously parked at the couple’s home in New Haven’s Fair Haven Heights neighborhood. The build-up, its arrival and the remodeling have been well-documented on social media.

“Every time Teresa and I go out somewhere everyone asks about The Mo-Pho,” he said.

“They don’t even ask about our kids anymore,” she added.

Joseph said she’s excited to bring a new experience to the community.

“Everybody’s interested from all walks of life. It’s all indicative of how fertile the opportunity is for connection,” she said. “It’s going to build community. The possibilities are limitless.”

Randall said he can’t wait to get on the road.

“It’s a part of us. It’s an extension of what we bring to the world,” he said. “This whole idea was Teresa’s, I’m just along for the ride.”