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City Cast Salt Lake

Shelby Hintze

While Utah came to the U.S. of A. party a little later than some, there are some Salt Lake businesses that even pre-date Utah statehood. So while a 100-year-old business might seem like a startup to our friends across the pond, Salt Lake is home to plenty of local institutions that have stood the test of time.

Did you know Utah’s climate is ideal for making hard candies? The dry climate and cool winter temperatures brought British immigrant William Daw Startup and family to Utah and 158 years later, the Utah territory’s first candy shop is still selling confections today. You can buy their signature lollipops at 

 that Sterling Furniture Company is the latest Fun Time Kidz Kare, a place everyone seems to know but no one has actually been … or is ever seen coming or going. Sorry to ruin the fun, but it does seem to just be a furniture store. But not just any furniture store: one of the last bastions of 

. After several locations along the Wasatch Front, the iconic blue-awninged building opened its doors in 1941. The company’s longevity also isn’t hurt by the fact that the 

family owns and manages surrounding properties

 that house other small businesses and apartments. It may not sell the trendiest furniture but you will find quality, made-in-America pieces for a decent price. And you don’t have to put it together yourself.

A Sugar House business almost as old as the modern bicycle itself, Guthrie Bicycle is one of, if not THE, oldest bicycle shops in the country. The shop started in 1888 by two brothers, just a couple years after the modern “

” you and I would recognize as a bicycle, was invented. The business changed hands several times in the proceeding years but has been owned by the same family for the last 50 years. Guthrie Bicycle sells new bikes for all ages and terrains, as well as offers repair and fitting services, and all the accessories for your hobby.

I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of menswear begins and ends at the feed of writer 

. But UWM Men’s Shop, formerly Utah Woolen Mills, has been meeting the suiting and tailoring needs of Utahns since 1905. The business has 

that whole time, even as the focus shifted from textiles to high-quality menswear. 2020 was not the year for any of us, and the earthquake left the building on South Temple unsafe. After 119 years on the same block, the storefront recently reopened in Murray.

The Oldest Salt Lake Businesses

Salt Lake Businesses in It for the Long Haul

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Look, I think every great diner should be owned by a former cabaret singer with an unfiltered-two-pack-a-day habit. That's exactly the kind of person I trust to make exceptional diner food. 

At 96 years old, Ruth's isn't the oldest spot on this list, but in restaurant years, it's practically prehistoric.

I'm genuinely disappointed Ruth didn't live forever, or at least write a memoir. She made it to 94 despite a legendary smoking habit, and by all accounts she had enough stories to fill several books.

She opened her first restaurant, Ruth's Hamburgers, across the street from a downtown "house of ill repute," where she became an unofficial confidante to the women who worked there and heard plenty about their 

 clientele. When the building was demolished, Ruth moved into an old trolley car before hauling the whole thing up Emigration Canyon, where it still serves as part of the restaurant today.

For decades, Ruth's was a favorite of University of Utah students, particularly fraternity brothers, thanks to its famously relaxed approach to smoking and drinking. Her chihuahuas also had a reputation for biting customers they didn't care for. It’s a good thing Yelp didn’t exist in those days.

After changing hands a few times, including to one of those former frat boys, the diner is now owned by a husband-and-wife team who both worked as Ruth's employees. They've carefully modernized the restaurant with a spacious patio, live music, and, much to the likely dismay of Ruth herself, actual enforcement of indoor smoking bans and ID checks.

Every meal begins with Ruth's famous Mile High Biscuits and raspberry jam, which are reason enough to make the drive into Emigration Canyon. I'm not much of a morning person, but I 

 a breakfast person, so I deeply appreciate that breakfast is served until 4 p.m. That means I can order the migas at a civilized hour, which, I choose to believe, is exactly what Ruth would have wanted.

The History of Ruth's Diner in Utah

Ruth's Diner: Burgers, Biscuits, and a Brothel

 and you should, too. The lovely Adri Pachelli, Senior Manager & Director of Education at Caputo’s, led the class and was chockfull of the most interesting cheese facts. I picked her brain on some useful tips from designing the perfect charcuterie board to storing that leftover camembert.

Cheese can be overwhelming when you’re first getting into it. What’s your advice on getting started?

“Don't be afraid to ask for a sample before buying! It's so disappointing to buy something you end up not enjoying, so trying in the store can be a fun activity, but will also ensure you bring something home that will be delicious.

Let the person helping you know what you have historically liked or what you're doing with the cheese. The more context and preferences you provide, the more your monger will be able to guide you along the path of deliciousness.

I'd recommend keeping notes on cheeses that you both love and … don't love. Buy a cute notebook or start a list of notes on your phone so you have somewhere to reference back to when you're making new purchases.”

“This one is tricky! Each style of cheese has its own set of needs and preferences based on the exterior molds and rind type, so each has its own preferred method for storage. The easiest answer here is to buy smaller portions more frequently. If you're buying once a week, it's easy to simply keep each cheese wrapped rather tightly in plastic, and there will be little to no impact on the taste or health of the cheese. For more particular details, my personal hero and mentor, Matt Caputo, 

wrote this amazing blog about storage for unique styles of cheese

I have a dinner party tonight. Help! How do I build the perfect cheese board?

“Keep it simple, and don't overthink it! Tell your monger if there's any type of theme for your gathering, like a specific region or country or if there's something special you'll be drinking. Then ask for three uniquely textured cheeses and, if possible, to also include a variety of milk types. Your monger can make specific pairing recommendations, but I always like to include an olive, pickled veg, salami, honey or jam, nuts, and a baguette or cracker to serve on my board alongside the cheeses for a diverse array of items that will pair well with each other.”

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3 Questions With Adri Pachelli of Caputo’s Market

What Salt Lake City celebrities, public figures and key citizens have to say about living here.

3 Questions With Salt Lake Public Figures

3 Questions With

Last week, a Twitter follower asked “Where can I go for a business breakfast in Salt Lake?” Here are reader recs for the best places in town to conduct your official affairs over a plate of eggs and bacon: 


“I have a couple of good suggestions for breakfast spots in SLC that are great for business meetings: 

. Food and service are amazing and the atmosphere is Scandinavian, modern, and super clean. It’s our favorite breakfast spot and perfect for business.” - Susan D. 


. They have a big dining room and a separate area if needed.” - Zach S.

The Best Business Breakfast Spots

Find the best of everything that Salt Lake City has to offer.

Salt Lake’s Best

Salt Lake's Best

 is a cussin’ good plant-based cafe and market in South Salt Lake. We had the opportunity to chat briefly with one of the owners, Brent’lee Williams:


“When I was a kid I was called a little cuss by a Sunday school teacher and I didn’t know what it meant until I was older. It’s the best way a Sunday school teacher can call their kids names. Now, I’m an old cuss and it worked well with the western theme. I’m from Kansas City, Missouri which is nicknamed Cow Town because there are more cows than humans.”



How do you come up with your specialty drinks?


“Boredom. I think it really just comes from looking at coffee from a chef mentality as opposed to looking at it from a barista mentality. Thinking about different flavor combinations, messing around with savory options. For me, I like veganizing non-vegan things and making them better. I’ll look at a strawberry shortcake and see how I can make a deconstructed strawberry shortcake and add coffee to it.”



What made you incorporate the vintage store?


“It was a hobby of mine, vintage and also when we have music here. If I’m not going to have time for hobbies anymore I have to blend my hobby into the shop. Anyone can open a coffee shop but it’s all about making unique concepts that people haven’t seen before.”

3 Questions For Brent’lee Williams of Old Cuss

We chatted with George Bush (no, not that one), the owner of 

. A local food business known for its fresh salsa and freeze-dried salsa that’s perfect for camping.


“I'm super picky and I wouldn't eat chunky salsa. So, I went on a quest to find really good salsa that I personally liked with flavor and spice. I found some that had either or but never the consistency or everything I was looking for. So I made some, and I brought it to a potluck and then everyone was like, ‘this is delicious, can I buy some?’ I spent five years perfecting the recipe and we started our business in 2019. This year, we were ranked number one for fresh salsa at 

What’s your advice for new food business owners?


“It's a lot more work than what you expect. As you grow, you have to get your license, your insurance, and each county requires something different. Do a lot of research. I did a lot of reading before I jumped in which is why I felt confident. Now we've been self-employed for almost two years.”


“We're doing a few other things with our salsa. We're gonna start coating our chips and making our own flavored chips. We're making gourmet popcorn, too. There’s a lot of big things coming up.”



Editor’s Note: Answers were edited for length and clarity

3 Questions For George Bush of Sauced Up Salsa

We were lucky to chat with our very in-house thrift expert and audio producer Ivana Martinez 

 this week. She shares her thrifting tips and her favorite find of all time. Her pick for the best thrift store in the Salt Lake Valley? 

 in Millcreek. Here are a few reader-submitted recs:

“The best thrift store in SLC is 

. Go to Murray for men’s clothes and home accessories but Millcreek for rugs and women’s clothing. I will never pay full price for shoes again. If you can’t find what you are looking for there, check out the 

 on the West side of 700 S. It feels like the best one for finding true treasures.” - 

 as my favorite thrifting places. I’ve found great gifts at Copperhive and bargain home decor at Haight Ashbury.” - 


A few parting words of thrifting advice from Ivana: “Be kind to other people. If it doesn’t fit you leave it for someone there. Thrift karma is great” aka you don’t have to get into a fistfight at the Goodwill bins.

business

Salt Lake Businesses in It for the Long Haul

Ruth's Diner: Burgers, Biscuits, and a Brothel

3 Questions With Adri Pachelli of Caputo’s Market

Latest articles

Salt Lake Businesses in It for the Long Haul

Ruth's Diner: Burgers, Biscuits, and a Brothel

3 Questions With Adri Pachelli of Caputo’s Market

The Best Business Breakfast Spots

3 Questions For Brent’lee Williams of Old Cuss

3 Questions For George Bush of Sauced Up Salsa

The Best Thrifting Locations

Latest articles

The Best Business Breakfast Spots

3 Questions For Brent’lee Williams of Old Cuss

3 Questions For George Bush of Sauced Up Salsa

The Best Thrifting Locations