Annie Bennet — co-owner with her husband Dave of Annie’s Cafe in Bountiful — has a story to tell. The path that led her to opening Annie’s Cafe was an arduous one, filled with triumphs and setbacks — challenges both personal and professional, and more obstacles than most of us see in a lifetime. But Annie is full of grit and determination, resilience and resolve. Her … [Read more...]
Seventy Years of Family and Flowers: The Art Floral
If you’re near the corner of 600 East and 300 South in downtown Salt Lake City around 3pm on any given day, you’ll probably see a tall Greek woman with a mane of curly black hair herding a flock of chickens to their coop. An 11-year old terrier is always by her side. The terrier is named Artie, and her name is Stefanie. But no, she doesn’t own a chicken … [Read more...]
Red Light Alert RESTART to light up Ogden Venues
This September marks seven months since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastation to communities around the globe. On September 1, 2020 #WeMakeEvents, a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions, and live events workers, will light up their venues, homes and cities red in over 1500 locations across North America to raise public and media … [Read more...]
Behind the Scenes at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Utah’s Own
Receiving certification from the Compliance Officers through the Utah Department of Agriculture is one of the most difficult steps any food entrepreneur faces. But in order to sell in stores and most farmers markets, it’s a necessity that anyone with a dream of owning their own food or farm business must endure. I hear the lamentations of makers throughout Utah, most gripes … [Read more...]
Moab Proud, Moab Made
Moab Made describes itself as “a shop dedicated to the local artisan community.” I would add that the Main Street store is hand-crafted for the individual who appreciates singular items. Moab Made’s wares have soul and personality. Moab Made was founded by Rebecca McAllister in 2016. “It was created out of a personal desire to do something that I knew I would feel really … [Read more...]
Top Hat Video: Get the Popcorn!
In 1983, when every street corner had a video rental business, Lee and Lona Earl got in on the ground floor with a franchised Adventureland Video store. They started out at Five Points Mall in Bountiful and remained with Adventureland until that business closed. They looked at options with Aardvark Video or Warner Video. They chose instead to venture out with a … [Read more...]
Village Cobbler Shoe Repair: These Boots Are Made for Walking
Village Cobbler Shoe Repair has long been a staple in the Salt Lake Valley. Since 1968, they have breathed renewed life into countless shoes needing a little or a lot of love. This shop is run by the Morgan family since it was founded by Rob Morgan, and is now managed by his son, Troy Morgan. Troy says, “I didn’t have much of a choice when I started working there as a teenager. … [Read more...]
Evolve Elements
After working in architectural woodwork for over 20 years, designing and selling millwork packages for commercial, academic, and retail businesses, Stan Sommer decided to venture out on his own. He saw a lot of millwork, casework and cabinetry work being outsourced to China and other countries to save money. His philosophy is that sending materials overseas creates problems … [Read more...]
Avenues Barber: Keeping Men Handsome for over a Century
I am sitting in a large old-fashioned barber chair in Ben Paul’s shop while he runs a set of clippers over my head. “I really didn’t think I would end up cutting hair,” Ben says. “I went to get my hair cut at this hole-in-the-wall shop in Sugar House. It had such a cool vibe and was such an honest experience that it left an impression on me. I went home and talked to my wife, … [Read more...]
Hats off to Jim Whittington
Jim Whittington says he never “moved” to Salt Lake City in 1963. “I found myself here after a two-week drunken binge. I was in Helper, then somehow woke up in Springville.” Originally from New Mexico, Jim thought he had died and gone to heaven. “I saw those beautiful mountains,” he says, “and I found that I really like it here. Utah has been good to me.” Jim or JW (Jay … [Read more...]