“We do not make it about Oliver, but we would never be in this world of golf without him. He is a huge piece of this.” That quiet truth sits at the heart of Rounds Putt Lounge. Collin Dumke can easily talk about the mechanics of the business. He explains guest flow, capacity planning, automated scoring systems, and the difference between weekday and weekend demand with the calm precision of someone trained in analytics. But as the conversation continues, another story begins to emerge. Beneath the numbers and the logistics is something far more personal. The story of Rounds Putt is really about family, about discovering possibility in unexpected places, and about creating a space where people can simply enjoy being together.

“Every day we are creating a beautiful space while always trying to do our very best for our customers and our employees." That spirit runs through Cactus & Tropicals, the beloved Salt Lake business owned by Karin and Scott Pynes and guided day to day by Kath Harbin, the general manager who has helped shape the company for decades. Step through the doors and it is easy to get lost in the beauty: lush foliage, blooming plants, and thoughtfully layered displays that make the greenhouse feel more like an escape than a store. But behind that sense of calm is a much longer story, one that stretches from the mountains outside Munich, Germany, to the streets of St. Louis, to a bold young woman named Lorraine Miller whose dream first took root here in 1975.

“Our motivation has always been to have something that brings as many people along with us as we can - and creates a positive experience for everyone involved - instead of focusing on how Lynndsey and I can just elevate ourselves.” That is how Zac Eldridge describes what he and his wife, Lynndsey Eldridge, set out to build at Big Mountain Barbell, their Midvale gym that has grown from a 2,500-square-foot warehouse into an 11,000-square-foot training facility rooted in community.

“We found the building before we knew what we were going to do in it.” Andrea Tree and Nate Silverstein like to tell the story that way, because it captures how Taverna came to life in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade neighborhood. They wanted a place where their children could actually be present, where families could gather, and where a well-made cocktail and a great slice of pizza could exist in the same room without anyone feeling shut out. When a motorcycle shop close to home appeared with a hand painted “For Rent” sign and a phone number scrawled across the fence, they called, stepped inside, and started imagining what it could become.

“Everybody thinks they know what a pretzel is. We are here to change that." Drew Sparks's words capture both the confidence and the leap behind Dangerous Pretzel Co., the downtown Salt Lake City shop he owns with his wife, Lindsay Sparks. They admitted, "It felt a little crazy at first,” but what began as an ambitious pivot from tech into food has become a bold addition to the city’s growing culinary scene - one built on conviction, curiosity, and a shared desire to create something side by side.

“It’s not only about trying to make a profit, but honestly, I do it more for the collective.” That philosophy sits at the heart of Neko Collectibles, the Millcreek shop Bryan Pineda and his wife, Natalia Majda, opened in May 2025. What looks at first like a collectible store is, in many ways, the natural result of Bryan’s life - a life built on curiosity, travel, engineering, and an instinct to understand how things work.

“The universe has really taken care of me.” When you step inside Better than Coco, opened at the end of the summer in 2025, there is a sense that the universe has indeed conspired to bring everything, and everyone, here. The air is rich with the scent of Belgian chocolate and espresso, the shelves lined with thoughtful gifts, and at the counter, owners Susan Clissold and Kayle Van Zyl greet each person as though they are already part of their story.

"I felt like that was not only unusual for my age, but also because I was a girl, and there weren’t any little girls hanging out at bike shops.” Heather Casey noticed that difference early, and it stayed with her. It shaped how she moved through cycling spaces and, years later, how she and her partner, Pat Casey, built Peak State Fit, a place where bike fitting, coffee, and conversation exist together, and where people are met with care rather than expectation.

“We wanted a name that could be trusted. We wanted a name that felt very established. Something that would be comfortable for people,” said Farmer & Chemist co-founder Jeffrey Dunn. Farmer & Chemist is a Utah-based wellness company built at the intersection of agriculture, science, and care for the human body. It is rooted in hemp and shaped by the people who came together to create it.

“We brand ourselves here as anti-dairy.” When Monkeywrench opened in 2017, the words beneath its logo were meant to do exactly what they still do today in 2026 - interrupt the familiar and invite a second thought. For some, the phrase sparks curiosity. For others, confusion. Either way, it lingers.

“I always knew I wanted to create something of my own, but I did not know if I could take the leap. Then life pushed me, and suddenly it was now or never.” Parfé Diem - two words that carry a meaning far beyond dessert - is about seizing the moment the way Parker Barbee finally did after decades of hustling, grinding, imagining, and doubting. And it is also about the person who stood beside him as he leapt: Marcus Martin - the steady, grounded, practical partner, the one who gave up a secure career so Parker could pursue his dream.

“It is my own little playground with really good pizza.” Stacy House grew up just south of Chicago in Coal City, a small town where pizza ruled the restaurant scene. “The only restaurant, to be honest, that I ever wanted to own was a pizza place,” she said. “Because I grew up south of Chicago, and I have a very specific pizza type and flavor that I love, and I’ve had a very hard time finding it in the West.” That dream finally became a reality with Millcreek Pizza House, the restaurant she and her family opened in 2024.

“I’m born in Vietnam, but I always worked in Japanese restaurants here in Utah.” Ken Cuong Gip’s story begins in Ho Chi Minh City, in a family that ran an ice cream shop. He remembers the rhythm of school days, soccer after class, and the occasional help at the shop packing kilos of ice cream for street sellers and loving the daring flavor of durian, a fruit native to Southeast Asia. At home, he cooked now and then with his mom and great-grandmother, and he taught himself fried rice just because he loved it. That simple plate became his first signature dish on his way to becoming the chef and owner behind the Japanese restaurant, Shinobi Sushi Bar & Grill.

“We were young and confident. In one year, we opened Orchid Dynasty, got married, and I was pregnant.” Shelly Huynh smiled when she said it, remembering a time when everything seemed possible. Born in Vietnam, she arrived in the United States as a toddler in 1979, one of the “boat people” whose families risked everything to flee.

“People have wondered how we could work together for forty years. But since we kind of do different things - even though they overlap - I have mIne and he has his. Some days are easier than others, but we have found a way to make it work.” Kelly and Majid Omana have built a life together in every sense - married since 1983, partners in Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery since 1985, and still going strong.

“We want the people who come in here to feel like family.” Todd Holsten grew up on the east side of Salt Lake City, spending much of his childhood in the mountains. Skiing, biking, climbing - if it was outdoors, he was in his element. After high school, he worked a string of odd jobs before finding his career home at Delta Air Lines in 1996. Nearly thirty years later, he is still there, now part of the aircraft movement team, enjoying the job’s stability and the flight benefits that have allowed him, his wife, and their family to travel the world. Together with his wife, Aranya, he now owns Aranya Thai Kitchen, a warmly inviting spot known for fresh, meticulously prepared Thai dishes that reflect her passion for getting everything just right.

“We need to accept dogs for the creatures they are - different from us but equally deserving of respect and understanding.” Ashley Wolf speaks with the kind of clarity that comes from lived experience. Her journey into dog training was a winding path that began in Santa Cruz, California. It wove through rebellious teenage years, university classrooms, and a series of other careers. Eventually, it led Ashley - alongside her husband, Ryan Heidt - to co-found Bark & Biscuit, a business dedicated to helping dogs and their owners understand one another.

“This was always the goal, owning our own place,” said Andrew Fuller. “I just had to be patient enough to wait for the right moment.” For Andrew Fuller and his wife, Angelena, that moment arrived in February 2019 with the opening of Oquirrh, a refined yet welcoming American restaurant nestled in downtown Salt Lake City. At once personal and quietly romantic, Oquirrh reflects their shared story: a love for good food, deep respect for craft, and an unshakable partnership that spans both life and work.

“I turned to Byron and said, ‘Can we be a donut shop?’ And boom, here we are.” Kandy and Byron Tesen never set out to open a bakery. In fact, when they first met in the Army over two decades ago, they could not have imagined that one day, they would be creating rosemary chocolate chip cookies, lavender and earl grey mini loaves, and glazed habanero peach donuts in their own sun-filled café. But after years of service and sacrifice, the couple opened Eats - a vegan bakery that is equal parts community hub and creative playground.

“Finally, something I actually enjoy drinking.” That was the reaction of Jennifer Carleton when she first tried hard cider in a pub outside Galway.” Jennifer is the founder of Mountain West Hard Cider along with her husband Jeff. Jennifer had always loved mulled cider - the warm, spiced, non-alcoholic kind served during the holidays. But it was not until a 2008 work trip to Ireland that she discovered its boozy cousin: crisp, refreshing, and poured like a pint of beer.