“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.

“This really is a community service more than it’s a business.” Sitting with the extraordinary Missy Greis inside Publik, it becomes clear that the sentence is not a slogan. It is her compass. She has built a set of spaces that people use the way they use a neighborhood living room, a meeting hall, and, at times, a kind of steady refuge. From the outside, Publik can look like a modern success story. From the inside, it feels like a long devotion to Salt Lake City’s small businesses and to the people who keep showing up for one another.

“Making business work, in a way where it can impact people’s lives, is what drives me every day.” For Jorge Brios, the general manager at Rouser, hospitality does not begin when a guest is seated. It starts much earlier, shaped by place and rhythm, by observation and instinct.

“We are not a place that hides how things work. We want people to understand the illusions. It is a fun, immersive, interactive experience, designed for all ages,” said general manager Justin Ramirez. Inside The Gateway, the Museum of Illusions Salt Lake City feels instantly alive. But the story begins an ocean away, in Zagreb, Croatia.

“I was kind of just a shell of myself, if I am being honest.” When Roxy Carlson opened Easy Does It in the spring of 2024, the shop carried a message shaped by years of building businesses, pushing through exhaustion, and learning, slowly and deliberately, how to care for herself. Located in a former dry cleaner, the space is both literal and symbolic - a place to pause, to breathe, and to soften the edges of modern life.

“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.

“We did not know anything. We had no idea what we were doing. But we were passionate and motivated to make it work.” When Buds opened in 2012, it did not announce itself loudly. It did not have much room to work with, either. What it had was a window, a small menu, and a belief that vegan food could feel familiar, affordable, and welcoming to everyone.

“We started with our hands and our hearts and the books we loved. That was enough to begin.” Ken Sanders, owner of Ken Sanders Rare Books, was born in South Salt Lake, on 27th South near Blair Street. His mother, one of thirteen Iowa farm kids, made sure everyone was welcomed and fed. Religion never took hold in Ken, nor did labels about who belonged where.

“I think what truly makes it special are the people who work here - their passion, their appreciation of beauty, and their love of helping others find the perfect piece to mark a moment in time.” Dominique Anderson was speaking from the heart, seated in one of Salt Lake City’s most elegant and storied spaces: the historic O.C. Tanner Jewelers flagship store.

“I don’t think coffee has to be complicated but it does have to be excellent.” That simple belief sits at the heart of Three Pines Coffee, Nick Price’s first café, tucked into a narrow storefront on South Main Street in Salt Lake City. Opened in 2015, it is a quiet, focused space - no trendy gimmicks, no bells and whistles. Just really good coffee, done right.

“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.

“Underneath it all, it’s about community. That’s what drove me to take the risk of opening a small business, because thriving cities depend on thriving local businesses. And that doesn’t happen without people willing to give everything they have.” Kate Risser did not set out to become the founder of Botanika. The path that led her to this bright, airy, minimalist shop in Salt Lake City was anything but straight-forward. It is a story of reinvention and a deep desire to create something meaningful - not just for herself, but for those around her.

"For us, coffee is an important daily practice, it is our holy water. Honestly, it is a religion to us."  Erin Butler and Nick Price wanted a name that made people laugh but also made them curious. The name ‘Holy Water’ just kind of stuck. That irreverent charm runs through everything at Holy Water, the coffee shop co-founded by the two in June 2023. The name hints at something sacred, but also playful - exactly the kind of balance they set out to strike.

“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.

In every bite, I want people to feel the love and care, and to feel closer to Argentina.” That has always been Ana Valdemoros’s hope with Argentina’s Best Empanadas. Born in Córdoba and raised in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, Ana came to Salt Lake City in 2000 to study city planning at the University of Utah. At the time, there were few options for traditional Argentine food.

“Cats can bring joy to people of all ages and can help them to get through emotional times. Sometimes a customer asks me, ‘What is your favorite cat?’ I say, I love every one of them. They are all different, and I want to share them with others.” That is how Lisa Chen, who moved to Utah from China in 2007, describes the inspiration behind MiaoMiao Café, a charming cat-themed space that merges handmade desserts, specialty drinks, and, of course, a family of cats she considers her children.

“I’ve always loved museums. I remember being really little, standing in front of a painting, and my mom saying, ‘Someone made that - with a brush.’” For Kathleen Bodenlos, that moment stuck. Raised in Pittsburgh by a mother who found ways to expose her daughters to art, science, and culture despite limited means, Kathleen learned early on that museums were places of possibility. “We didn’t have a lot, but my mom made sure we had the arts,” she said. “Looking back, I realize how much she sacrificed, but she lit a spark in me that’s still burning.” Today, as CEO of Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, Kathleen is paying that gift forward - revitalizing the museum into one of Utah’s most dynamic cultural institutions. But the path was far from linear.

“I was eight years old when I started working,” said Peter Marshall, owner of Utah Book and Magazine. “Got five bucks a week. That was good money.” He dropped out of school just two weeks into the eighth grade. “Told my dad and grandpa I’d rather work with them. And I never looked back.” At no time has Peter stepped away - not once in sixty-two years.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“The address was 666 South State Street. I said, ‘Let’s go first thing in the morning.’ That’s too good to pass up.” When Andrew Earley stumbled upon the now-iconic location of Mark of the Beastro, it was the address that first grabbed him. The tongue-in-cheek name followed soon after, a nod to the playful spirit he wanted to cultivate - one part punk rock, one part art haven. What began as a full-service vegan restaurant in 2019 has since transformed into a cozy and welcoming café - one that shares its walls, and soul, with a vibrant performance venue known as The Beehive.