Land of Salt
“All I knew was that I saw something I loved and wanted to figure out how to make it myself. That moment changed everything. Making things has always been a part of who I am. Jewelry just happened to be the thing that stuck.” Erica Hogan, owner of The Land of Salt, grew up in South Jordan, Utah, just south of Salt Lake City, and spent much of her youth dancing - literally around the world.
From age five to twenty-seven, Erica was part of an international folk-dance team, performing in countries across Europe, including France, England, Poland, Italy, and Germany, as well as China, and Brazil. “Since the U.S. is such a young country, we didn’t have traditional folk dances like the others, so we primarily performed clogging, which originated in Appalachia,” she explained. These summer tours left lasting memories, especially because she got to share them with her older sister, who was not only an integral part of the team but is still one of Erica’s closest friends today. “She was six years older and like our mother duck,” Erica recalled. “We all followed her.”
In between travel seasons, Erica studied general courses at the University of Utah and later worked for eight years at a commercial real estate brokerage that specialized in industrial properties from 2010 to 2018. While she valued the company she worked for, something creative kept tugging at her. “I was always into arts and crafts as a kid: painting, drawing, ceramics, anything messy,” she laughed. Her parents even nicknamed her “Tape Girl” because she was constantly taping together elaborate constructions around the house.
Jewelry did not come into the picture until much later. One day Erica saw a ring online and decided she wanted to try to make it herself. “I walked into a jewelry supply store with no experience at all and just showed them the picture,” she said. The design turned out to be far too advanced for a beginner, but that did not matter. It started her on a path of learning. She began with wire wrapping and beading, slowly teaching herself soldering and silversmithing techniques, eventually mastering more complex skills. “That first piece with a stone and an adjustable ring band - it wasn’t perfect, but it felt really good to make something with my hands,” she said. "I still have it tucked away somewhere."
By 2015, Erica had launched The Land of Salt out of her home, selling her handmade jewelry online. That same year, she opened a small, shared retail space on Pierpont Avenue with her friend Stacey Foster, owner of Mineral & Matter. For three years, the two businesses operated side by side, and in 2018, they both moved to the Maven District, this time as next-door neighbors. “We’ve always been separate businesses, but people sometimes confuse us because we’ve been so connected from the start,” she said. “And we’re still great friends.”
The two women were one of the early tenants on the block in what was quickly becoming the Maven District. Its visionary founder, Tessa Arneson "took a chance on us, and we believed in her vision. It’s been amazing to grow alongside so many other women-owned businesses. There’s real camaraderie here - people you can trust, people who understand what it’s like.”
From the beginning, The Land of Salt has focused on jewelry that feels personal and lasting. Erica and her small team of women - most of whom have been with her for years - make about seventy percent of the products in-house. The rest, primarily pieces with delicate mechanics like hinged hoops, are manufactured by a sustainable and transparent factory in Thailand. She also teaches jewelry-making workshops, typically one to two times per week, and runs an online calendar where customers can sign up. “We’re not just a jewelry store,” she added. “We’re a studio. We’re makers. When you try on a piece, there’s a good chance it was made right here - and maybe even by the person handing it to you.”
Erica's jewelry line includes both gold and silver pieces, featuring semi-precious stones like moonstone, onyx, turquoise, and lapis. Gold-fill has been her signature since the early days, long before it became widespread on platforms like Etsy. “It was hard to figure out how to work with it back then. There weren’t tutorials or YouTube videos like there are now,” she said. “But I stuck with it, and it really helped define my style.”
Over time, the shop expanded beyond jewelry. Today, The Land of Salt also carries candles, books, apothecary goods, nail polish, bath salts, cocktail-themed gifts, vases, and decorative home items. The clothing in the shop is minimal and curated more for style than volume. “It’s not a huge part of the business,” she explained, “but if we find something cute, we bring it in.” Erica curates everything with care, with a strong emphasis on women-owned, small-batch makers. “We just want to offer things that make people smile - everyday objects that feel thoughtful and bring a little happiness.”
In addition to in-store and online sales, a significant portion of Erica’s business comes from wholesale. Her jewelry is now carried in over 150 retail stores across the United States, with a few international accounts in places like France and the Netherlands. “When we’re making jewelry in the back, we’re usually making it for other shops,” she said.
When COVID hit in 2020, wholesale dried up almost immediately. “Retail saved us,” she said. “I went six months without paying myself, and we had to cut back on everything. But our customers kept showing up. That’s what got us through.” Making it through that year became a turning point. “Coming out of COVID and having our best year yet reassured me we had something real. If we could survive that, we could survive anything.”
Erica met her husband, Nick, online when MySpace was still a thing. They reconnected years later, went on a date, and have been together ever since. He built many of the displays in the shop and has supported her dream from the beginning. Her sister still helps when needed. “I had a lot of support getting this off the ground,” she said. “Family, friends, Nick - they all played a part.”
Looking back now, Erica says she could never return to a conventional job. “I feel like I’ve been ruined for life,” she laughed. She went on to share that even though it can be stressful, and there are always things she cannot control, it is equally rewarding. "I get to be around inspiring women, exercise my creativity, and basically design my own reality. We’re not flashy,” but we’re intentional. We’re thoughtful. And we’re still here making beautiful things, one piece at a time.”
