“I have felt it in my bones since I was very, very young. I was going to accomplish big things.” Vayanna Kruse, owner of Soleil Nail Studio, grew up in a small Iowa town. But even as a child, she sensed her life would lead her somewhere else.

“You can’t fully exhale in a place where you feel like you don’t belong. I wanted to create a space where people feel safe the moment they walk through the door.” Opened in 2023, Maven STAY is not your typical hotel. It is not marked by grand lobbies or sterile hallways. Instead, it feels like a quiet invitation to slow down, to settle in. It does not aim for flash. Rather, it welcomes guests with softness, warmth, and a deep sense of care.

“Crone’s Hollow is a place that came from love, and we welcome everyone.” TaMara Sorensen never planned to open a witchcraft store when she arrived in Salt Lake City as a twenty-year-old on vacation in 1979. She simply never left. The mountains and adventure called her, and she built a long career in customer service, working with the Sundance Catalog for over thirty years and teaching customer service courses at Salt Lake Community College. But alongside her day job, she was quietly finding her path in a different world.

“I didn’t just want to open a studio. I wanted to change the way people feel about moving their bodies, and about themselves.” Tessa Arneson opened Maven STRONG with more than just fitness in mind. The sleek, light-filled Pilates studio was the first brick in what would become the Maven DISTRICT - a hub of women-owned, health-focused businesses in Salt Lake City’s Central City neighborhood. But in the beginning, it was simply about creating a space for strength and self-trust, built from Tessa’s own personal transformation.

“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.

“When you walk into Planted, you’re walking into a piece of my heart.” Tucked into the garden level of Salt Lake City’s vibrant Maven District - a community of more than one hundred women-owned businesses - Planted Salon feels more like a sanctuary than a shop. The soft hum of hair dryers mingles with laughter, the scent of rosemary and mint drifts through the air, and conversations range from celebratory to cathartic. For owner Tori Plant, it is not just a salon. It is a place where connection, care, and creativity live side by side.

“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.

“I’m just a girl from Utah who wanted to offer something delicious to the community - something I didn’t feel like we had, especially at the time.”  In the heart of Salt Lake City’s Maven District, Passion Flour Patisserie stands as a beacon of culinary innovation, offering a unique blend of artistry and sustainability. Opened by Jessica Davies in 2015, this vegan pastry shop was born from a passion for exquisite desserts and a deep commitment to ethical and environmentally friendly practice.

“This is my baby. I come in each day to see the people who return again and again - who share their stories, their lives. That’s what makes it all worth it.” When Paramjit Kaur was eleven years old, she moved with her family from Punjab, India, to Salt Lake City. They already had family in the area and "it made sense for us to come here." A few years later, at the age of fifteen, she began working as a server at her family’s restaurant, Star of India. 

“Sugar runs in my veins,” Felicia (Fee) Hanson said with a smile, as she looked around the warm, whimsical space she has built. “I just love making people happy - with candy, with food, with community.” Sweet Hazel, Fee’s vegan bakery, market, and café, is tucked into a cozy strip that includes Leavity Bread and Star of India. Named after her beloved cat, Hazel, Fee said that “She was my soul cat. When I started this adventure, I didn’t know what to name it, and my sister-in-law said, ‘What about Sweet Hazel?’ It just felt right.”

“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 always say, food can make people happy - it brings them together, helps us understand each other. That is what I enjoy doing." Ragda Safah’s journey spans continents, conflicts, and cultures. From Baghdad to Bountiful, she has moved through war and displacement with quiet strength, building a life rooted in purpose, learning, and love. Her warmth is immediate, her determination unmistakable, and every dish she prepares, every item she stocks on the shelves of Sindbad's - her Middle Eastern market - carries the imprint of that remarkable path.

“I called it Define Fitness because I believe health looks different for everyone. You get to decide what it means to you.” From the border city of El Paso, Texas, to the heart of Millcreek, Utah, Valeria Macias has carved out a space that is deeply personal. Define Fitness, her women-centered studio, opened in the spring of 2025, is the culmination of a life journey shaped by hardship, healing, and the belief that fitness is for every kind of body.

“No matter where you are in your journey of figuring out your gender or your sexuality - and no matter how you identify - you are welcome here.” Kaitlyn Mahoney, owner of Under the Umbrella, never imagined she would open a bookstore, let alone the first queer-specific bookstore in the country. But when no one else stepped up to fill a void she knew existed, she decided to do it herself. “Somebody should open a queer bookstore… obviously there is a need. Nobody did. So, I did.”

“I’ve always loved the hunt - finding special pieces that nobody else has. There’s something about older furniture, the soul it carries, the quality, the story behind it.” Emily Read, the owner of Post Trading Company, has been drawn to collecting vintage furniture for as long as she can remember. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, she moved to Salt Lake City in 2013, bringing with her a lifelong love for design and a deep appreciation for unique, well-crafted pieces.

“Owning a small business is joy and/or terror, depending on the day,” Jacqueline Whitmore said with a laugh. And yet, it is clear to anyone who walks through the doors of Copperhive Vintage that joy has the upper hand. A kaleidoscope of color, texture, and nostalgia, her store is more than a place to shop. It is a personal expression, a gathering space, and a curated love letter to the past.

“We want to be everyone’s friend. If you make stuff, we want to see it, support it, and tell you how you can do this too.” That is the heart of Atelier, a small, thoughtfully curated shop on Pierpont Avenue in downtown Salt Lake City, run by best friends Malinda Fisher and Olivia Henrie.

"This restaurant is our love letter to the community," Jennifer Hannon said, seated at a table in the lounge at the back of Laziz Kitchen. "We want people to feel safe, welcome, and fed with care."

“I’ve always believed in the power of art to inspire, to challenge, and to bring people together,” said Shalee Cooper, director of Modern West. That belief is at the core of the gallery’s mission established under the vision of its founder, Diane Stewart.

“I came here in 2013 as a refugee because I wanted a future for my kids. My country wasn’t safe. The war - everything - made it impossible to stay.” Owning Karim Bakery was never part of Sarah Abduljabbar’s plan, but life has a way of leading people down unexpected paths.