There’s nothing behind the times about Square Kitchen SLC. In fact, this new Salt Lake City venture blends forward-looking urban planning elements that are far-reaching and progressive. Square Kitchen is what’s known in modern urban parlance as a culinary incubator. Incubators are organizations that help new or existing businesses speed early-stage growth by providing … [Read more...]
Argentina’s Best Empanadas
Sitting down to share her story, Ana Valdemoros begins, “My passion is to build community, to make neighborhoods better.” Arguably, opening downtown Salt Lake’s first empanada shop adds value to the increasingly diverse nature of the city’s core, but Ana’s vision of civic improvement extends beyond introducing Utahns to a ubiquitous food from her native Argentina. Since … [Read more...]
The Sewist
Keith Tisher calls himself a sewist. “There are tailors, upholsterers, seamstresses, cobblers -- these are names that are recognized worldwide. But I didn’t want to limit myself to being just one of those categories.” Keith tried “fabric wrangler” for a bit, but folks had a hard time connecting to that name. “Sewing solution specialist” summed up the gist of his talents, but, … [Read more...]
Moab’s Splore Offers Adventure to All
The summer sun happens fast in Moab, and Carol Robertson is ready for adventure. Carol is an individual with cerebral palsy, but, with Splore, she can comfortably enjoy an overnight rafting trip on the Colorado River. Splore has guided adventures in Utah for nearly 40 years. Splore offers anyone and everyone recreational opportunity. And Splore has a faculty for hiring … [Read more...]
The Coffee Bean Ripple Effect
Like the proverbial pebble in the pond, the owners and baristas at Daily Rise Coffee have tossed a coffee bean of kindness into the community and broadcast waves of positive energy. And that’s not an interpretation of what Daily Rise projects. The company’s homegrown motto is “Promoting positive energy since 2004.” Beth and Jeff Furton chose Utah to put down roots and open a … [Read more...]
Kiitos Brewing Opens
Andrew Dasenbrock’s goal is “to make the best damn beer we can.” And he’s got a good headstart. Kiitos Brewing is a trifecta of environmental, social and beer-making concepts. Adjacent to the railyard in the burgeoning Granary District, Kiitos is the brewing, canning and on-site sales location for Salt Lake’s latest microbrewery. Andrew testifies that he’s been … [Read more...]
Beer Meetups
"Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer." ~Henry Lawson, 19th Century writer and poet. Beer historically has been the focal point of social gatherings, and modern technology allows strangers to connect in new ways and enjoy a cold one. Meetup is a social network portal through which people can create or join a group of like-minded individuals. … [Read more...]
Re-Find Goods
Kristen Harrower has made the quintessential reuse of retail space on Pierpont Avenue. Re-Find Goods is Utah’s first and only store that exclusively sells recycled, upcycled and repurposed merchandise. Mindful shopping represents an aspect of shifting social attitudes. Grandma may have saved soap scraps with which to make new full-sized bars, but thrift was most likely the … [Read more...]
Mural Art at The Road Home
The corner of 200 South and 500 West is a hotbed of drug dealing activity where incidents of violent crime also periodically occur. This same corner is also the location of The Road Home shelter’s playground. Recently, a team of hired and volunteer staff erected and painted a 450-linear foot fence on the property’s most exposed corner. Before the construction of the … [Read more...]
Twist – Salt Lake’s New Bar and Bistro
“We serve high-end cocktails, but we’re not an upscale bar. We have cheap drinks, but we’re not a dive bar. We have sports on the TV, but we’re not a sports bar; and we have music, but we’re not a club.” This is how Brett Kirk describes Twist, the most recent addition to downtown Salt Lake’s bar and bistro scene. Brett has partnered with co-owners Phil Palmer and … [Read more...]