The Man Behind Mad Man Magee’s – Kent Christofferson

Mad Man Magee’s – Discount Levis on 3500 South

In the 1970s and 1980s, one of the most popular stops for local shoppers along 3500 South was Mad Man Magee’s, a discount clothing store best known for its racks of Levi’s jeans and affordable fashions. The store was part of a small chain created by Reed Kent Christofferson (1936–2013), a Utah entrepreneur who built his career around turning opportunities into community institutions.

Christofferson—who everyone knew simply as Kent—had an unusual path to retail. After graduating from Olympus High School and the University of Utah, he co-founded Countryside Eggs, which became the largest egg production facility east of the Mississippi River. Later, he shifted gears from agriculture to retail clothing, converting one of his old egg production facilities into the first Mad Man Magee’s.

The stores quickly developed a reputation for carrying Levi’s styles that were hard to find anywhere else, often at discounted prices. Shoppers in Granger flocked to the 3500 South location, making it a favorite stop for families who wanted durable clothing without paying department store prices.

Beyond business, Kent Christofferson was a man of faith, family, and service. He served an LDS mission to Copenhagen, Denmark, later worked as a teacher and mentor at the LDS Employment Center, and with his wife Connie, dedicated time as missionaries to Utah’s juvenile corrections system—bringing compassion and guidance to troubled youth.

Christofferson also pursued hobbies and community involvement with energy, from flyfishing and building MacKenzie River Boats to serving with the Bonneville Exchange Club, the Small Business Administration Board, and mentoring young entrepreneurs.

His life reflected his favorite quote by poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox: “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent, or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.” For many in Granger and West Valley, that resolve was best remembered every time they pulled on a new pair of Levi’s from Mad !

A snapshot of 3500 South in its bustling days—home to Mad Man Magee’s, Geneva’s, Doug’s TV, Savage Glass, Winchell’s, Western Garden, and Dee’s—each a familiar stop in the heart of Granger