Loved and Locally Owned

Three new establishments in Salt Lake City that are worth a visit.

Known for its conservatism and great outdoors, Salt Lake City isn’t often recognized as a booming metropolitan city. Within the last decade, Utah’s population growth rate has increased by nearly 15%, making it one of the top growing cities in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Individuals from all across the country are moving to Utah for a strong economy, jobs in the quickly growing tech industry, and cheaper housing options. With the flood of residents has come an influx of small shops, startups, and locally owned businesses. Katie Waltman, Coco McCall, and Ginger Street have each recently opened up their doors to the Salt Lake City market, all bringing a much-needed refresh to this quaint city.

Katie Waltman was opened by Katie herself in the Spring of 2002 originally as a jewelry shop. Katie had a love for making jewelry after learning to bead from her grandmother and knew she could turn her passion into a profitable business. This passion drove the success of Katie Waltman for quite a few years before she decided to expand the jewelry store into a full-blown women’s boutique. Now with three locations all over Utah, Katie Waltman has turned into much more than a small jewelry shop. Katies’ newest venture has been the opening of the third store location in the charming 9th and 9th neighborhood which is located just a few miles outside of the city. The store itself is the smallest of the three locations but brings a unique selection to the neighborhood. Much like the other two locations, the store is decked out in handmade jewelry and a perfectly curated selection of clothing, this time specific to the Salt Lake market.

Coco McCall is an online women’s boutique run by young Salt Lake local Haidyn McCall. Having just opened last year, Coco McCall has been wildly successful in the short amount of time it’s taken to get established. This immediate success is what prompted owner Haidyn to test the waters of brick and mortar with a kiosk shop in Fashion Place Mall. Despite the tight quarters, customers can browse a wide variety of women’s clothing that offers competitive pricing and a specialty selection. The chance to try Coco McCall clothing on in person has been a major incentive for online shoppers. According to customer Ava Grass, “Boutiques offer a much more personal touch. Coco McCall gift wraps with lovely ribbons, they have cookies and treats out for customers, it’s much more of an experience and something to do rather than just checking out online.”

For a new food option in the city, Ginger Street is creating a lot of hype. Located on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, Ginger Street recently opened its door and has taken the world of casual Asian cuisine to a whole new level. Their website defines their cuisine as ‘Southeast Asian Hawker Style Street Food”. Inside you will find a hip millennial vibe complete with string lights that drape across the ceiling, a neon LED sign reading “keep it real”, and macrame hanging plants in every corner. As for the menu, its offerings are traditional Asian street food. Steamed pork buns, dumplings, and chicken satay are just a few of the many appetizers to share. The portions are small and the prices are reasonable, making it so you can order a few plates and try a bit of everything. As for the main course, the menu ranges from traditional noodle dishes like pad thai to an innovate take on a spicy chicken sandwich and everything in between. While this may not be your family-owned authentic Asian food, Ginger Street brings a sense of newness into the Asian street food market, a category Salt Lake was majorly lacking.