Hole in the Wall Greatness I could wake up on any summer morning with the overwhelming desire to go hiking, canoeing or fishing on one of the high Uintas lakes. All I’d need is gas in the car and a cooler. The rest I could get at the Samak Smokehouse. . It’s amazing what owners Jen Hisey and Dave Witham have comfortably and aesthetically packed into this … [Read more...]
SAM I AM
Entrepreneur of the Month by Heidi Grieser . According to the SBA, small businesses account for half of all the jobs in the United States and have generated 75% of all the new jobs in the past decade. The way that main stream media outlets remain fixated on Wall Street and huge American corporations, the economic significance of small businesses might never be … [Read more...]
Dough Boy Attempts to Squash My Dough Girl
by Richard Markosian Most Goliaths know their bark is intimidating enough to silence the competition. Rich Shellene reluctantly agreed to discuss his dilemma of facing a frivolous lawsuit over the tagline for his business. He didn’t wish to have his business named or the nature of the lawsuit explained on the record. Shellene owns a new local burger restaurant in … [Read more...]
Kamas Demolition Derby
Photos and story by Paige Wiren For a town of 1,600 inhabitants, Kamas boasts a considerable number of award-winning elements. Kamas City co-hosts the High Uintas Classic, a nationally recognized cycling race. Its South Summit Aquatic and Fitness Center is a paragon of functional, architectural excellence, and the Samak Smokehouse has garnered national acclaim and won local … [Read more...]
What Lies Beneath Salt Lake City?
by James Kirk Tunnels conjure images of dark, dank spaces where mystery and danger lurk around every corner. Combine this preconception with a religion notorious for its secrecy and rituals and you’ve got a juicy recipe for conspiracy. After hearing countless rumors of a “secret” set of tunnels that fan out all over the Salt Lake Valley from Temple Square, we did a … [Read more...]
Salt Lake Mixes Sacred Space and Sustainability
by Richard Markosian Salt Lake City is the world headquarters for the fastest growing church in America, and the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is everywhere. The six gray spires of the Salt Lake Temple rise above the city. A gleaming granite convention center dominates an entire city block across the street. Even in subtle ways -- street names, … [Read more...]
A Main Street Revival or the Next ‘Vatican City’?
How the LDS Church is re-staking its claim in downtown Salt Lake City culture and retail power by Richard Markosian The Mormons are building the next Vatican City; they will own and control not just the streets, but also retail sales, free speech and alcohol trade in downtown Salt Lake City. With two write-ups in The New York Times and a deluge of blogger opinions, the … [Read more...]
The New Sugar House Farmer’s Market
If you need to pick up some fresh basil, green onions or a cool ripe melon, you don’t have to wait until Saturday to fight with the crowds downtown: A new Farmers Market has sprouted up in SugarHouse next to the Obelisk on 21st. You can find fresh local produce coming right off the farms like mint, zucchini and squash, carrots and peppers, tomatoes and corn as well as fruits … [Read more...]
August Issue Introduction
About this issue: Willard Richards was a cousin of Brigham Young. He settled in Salt Lake City in 1847, and his farm was located on Main Street and South Temple. Richards was given the job to initiate a weekly publication called “The Deseret News”. The first issue in 1850 reported on the devastating San Francisco fire that, “threatened to leave the famous city in a heap … [Read more...]
Salt Lake Business Report
Times are tough, but some local businesses may be doing better than you think. Here is a snapshot of some of what’s going on in Salt Lake City with reporting by the numbers of the business scene. New Business Spotlight “Authentic” is an overused word when talking about cuisine. But when we find truly authentic cuisine we know it, even if we may not have traveled to that … [Read more...]