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- A 13,230-square-foot liquor store is part of the reconfigured Lamplighter Square development on Salt Lake's east bench.
- The store is expected to generate $7.3 million in sales during its first fiscal year, benefitting state and local programs.
SALT LAKE CITY — A new store is bringing life to one of the older commercial districts on Salt Lake City's east side.
Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services officials celebrated the opening of its Salt Lake City No. 4 liquor store within the East Bench neighborhood on Monday, providing the first look at the future of Lamplighter Square near 1700 South and Foothill Drive.
At 13,230 square feet, the new two-story building is about double the size of the previous one in another part of the commercial space. The store features products produced in Utah, as well as scenic views of H Rock and Mount Olympus through the second-story windows.
"We're really excited to be in this new location," said Tiffany Clason, the department's executive director. "(There's) definitely a lot more room not only in the store but outside the store too."
Monday's store opening was at least seven years in the making and follows wholesale changes to Lamplighter Square. Thackeray, the Utah-based real estate agency that owns the district, is in the process of redeveloping the commercial district that first opened in 1963. All of the stores, including a liquor store that was one of its first tenants, were demolished to make way for the district's future.
State leaders set aside over $8.6 million toward reconstructing the Foothill location through a state facilities bill passed in 2018. It received additional funding in 2020 to fit some of the additional project costs, upping total bond authorization to about $10.8 million.
It aimed to fit the growth of the area, including the heavy traffic along Foothill Drive.
"This neighborhood, this area — in terms of residential growth and the commercial activity that has increased over the last couple of years — definitely warranted and deserved a larger location to be able to serve the growing population," Clason told KSL.com.
Construction began soon after, pushing the store's service to a temporary location at the nearby Foothill Village, a shopping mall a few blocks north. However, the project ran into the same pitfalls that many other projects struggled with during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workforce and supply chain shortages dragged construction out by an extra 18 months.
Turning the old space into a two-story building also required additional work to appease residents living in the area. David Leta, vice chairman of the East Bench Community Council, pointed out that crews dug deeper into the land so the building wouldn't cut off the views for residents living in the area. Additional work was done to combat construction disruptions.
Despite the delays, department officials said the project ended up on budget. It's expected to generate $7.3 million in sales during its first full fiscal year, sending $3 million toward state and local revenue sources, including public safety and education programs.
Residents are now thrilled the store is open because it will likely bring life back to Lamplighter Square. The liquor store will eventually be joined by surrounding retail spaces like it was before all of the construction began.
"We are super excited to see Lamplighter Square ... being reborn and reimagined," Leta said. "That's so important to us because (the district) is a gathering place for the neighborhood. It always has been."
It comes as Foothill Village — the space that temporarily held the Foothill liquor store for the last few years — is also getting a major makeover.
Flower Child and Slice House by Tony Gemignani are some of the newest restaurants to move in, which will soon be followed by burger chain Shake Shack. Its buildings are also getting a facelift after Asana Partners acquired the property nearly four years ago.
Leta says residents are happy to see a rejuvenation of the city's easternmost commercial district that's slowly taking place.
"I've always thought that this whole area could justify an upgrade, retail space and restaurant space," he said. "I think it's going to be great when it's finally finished."
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