“I did this because I love it. I love my community. This is my passion. It’s my life.” Chad Hopkins, owner of Hopkins Brewing Company, was born and raised in Sugar House, long before it became one of Salt Lake City’s busiest and most rapidly changing neighborhoods. The Sugar House of his childhood was defined by local shop owners, modest storefronts, and the freedom that came with growing up in a close-knit neighborhood.

“Local is real. It is real people. It is your community and your neighbors.” For Jennifer Williamson, those words are the foundation beneath The Neighborhood Hive, the Sugar House market she created with her husband, Derek Williamson, and their friends and business partners, Tiffany Rainwater and Jed Matthews. Together, the four of them have built something that is part shop, part coffee bar, part event space, part business incubator, and part neighborhood living room - a place where more than sixty small businesses can find a home under one roof.

“There’s been a store like this on Main Street Midvale since 1933, since the end of Prohibition.” Rob Flygare says it simply, standing behind the counter of the Midvale Liquor Agency, helping customers one after another while trying to answer questions between sales. The interruptions never seem to bother him. In fact, they tell part of the story. After more than twenty-five years of running the shop, this steady rhythm of conversation, regulars, deliveries, and familiar faces has become deeply woven into his life. “It’s my business, it’s my baby,” he says. “I try to stay on top of it all.”

“I grew up here, just kind of feral, snowboarding all winter, skateboarding, camping and four-wheel-drive exploring in the summer, always outside.” Cody McKendrick, the owner of Bewilder Brewing Co., is Salt Lake City through and through. He was raised in the Brickyard and Sugar House area, the kind of childhood that revolved around seasons rather than schedules. It was an active, unscripted upbringing that shaped the way he still approaches life and work - curious, hands-on, and deeply rooted in place.

"I have always had a vision for this restaurant," Tim Rammell reveals. "I put in the work, learned from the best, and took notes. When the opportunity came, I knew I was ready." Tim and his younger brother - by one year and one week - Joe, share a journey to opening Drunken Kitchen that is rooted in determination, friendship, and an unwavering passion for food.

“We have a long history. Fisher Brewing Company was one of the largest pre-Prohibition breweries.” Tim Dwyer’s voice was filled with pride as he shared the story of his business. Tim continued, “One of our partners, Tom Fisher Riemondy, his great-great-grandfather, was the founder and brewer.” The brewery faced challenges, especially after it stopped producing beer in 1967 following its acquisition earlier in the 1960s. Today, Fisher stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of community and craftsmanship. With a history that stretches back to 1884, Fisher Brewing has been revived by Tim and his three partners, Tom, Steve Brown, and Colby Frazier, who have transformed it into a beloved local institution.