It’s no secret that Sugar House has experienced some growing pains in recent years. From the 18-month-long 2100 South reconstruction project, which concluded late last summer, to the apartment complexes that continue to crop up and dot the neighborhood skyline, there has been a plethora of groundbreaking activity and often uncertain forward movement. This is not to mention the ongoing TRAX streetcar expansion to a new station across Highland Avenue.
The results of these developments — road closures, changing detours, and access issues — have disrupted some of the local businesses that give the Sugar House community its unique flavor. Quarters Arcade Bar just closed its 2100 South location at the end of May, while Craft, a bar that was owned by Proper Brewing, was shuttered on June 20. Another business, Commerce & Craft, a boutique shop that for years operated a small storefront on 1100 East, was also recently forced to move, alternately setting up a small selection of their handcrafted gifts and goods inside The Neighborhood Hive.
“People change habits, right?” said James Roberts, co-owner of the popular, mercado-style beer and food hall Sugar House Station and new co-chair of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce. “If it’s difficult to get into the neighborhood, people start not coming. I’ve talked to all the different restaurant and bar owners, the retail folks,” Roberts continued. “I think there are some segments that are really doing quite well now, and I think there are some that are still struggling.”
Despite these challenges, business owners in Sugar House have resources to draw from, thanks to new leadership in the Sugar House Chamber. Roberts, who has helped launch and develop businesses in the area for decades, was selected as the Chamber’s new co-chair in January. Scott Lyttle, owner and operator at the popular tea and wine shop Tea Zaanti, is his fellow co-chair.
Roberts and Lyttle have already begun to help guide the bustling ecosystem of local business owners towards an ambitious future for the area.
What is a Chamber of Commerce?
The Sugar House Chamber has gone through several iterations but has always existed to provide support through neighborhood advocacy.
Every month, the Chamber holds a social gathering for their members, with one of the member bars or restaurants playing host. On June 24, the social was held at Hopkins Brewing Company, owned by Chad Hopkins. Over drinks and fried pickles, more than a dozen of Salt Lake’s most intrepid entrepreneurs swapped stories of their recent successes and challenges.
Will Wright, a project manager for Salt Lake City’s department of economic development, was in attendance as well. He said he likes to make the rounds at chamber and community council meetings in all the city’s neighborhoods.
“One of the things that really strikes me about Sugar House is how engaged business owners are,” said Wright. “They always make themselves available to give their opinions to the city.”
Business owners in Sugar House, or at least those that pay their dues to the Chamber and regularly attend the socials and more formal meetings that happen a few times a year, are fully engaged in the development of their community. Their collective demeanor and spirit, one of revelry and cooperative resilience in the face of adversity, is emblematic of the community itself.
Sugar House has seen many changes over the years, from the time it was considered Utah’s “furniture row,” to the appearance of more than a handful of national chains and the ongoing population boom. Back when Sterling Furniture wasn’t the sole proprietor of sofas and recliners in the neighborhood, and the neon signs of places like Smith-Crown Co. were still lit, businesses in Sugar House were known to band together for promotions, events and even co-sales.
“Scott and I are really aligned, and I think the Chamber is too,” Roberts said. “Our goal is to create a broad sense, or awareness, that Sugar House is a great place to come, whether you want to go to a movie or have dinner and go to a bar . . . or go shopping. We have a much more condensed area of things to do than almost anywhere in the county.”
Special Area Assessment
Landon Clark, Sugar House Community Council Chair, is responsible for Roberts and Lyttle being nominated as Chamber co-chairs. Clark and Roberts have worked on the idea of a special area assessment for Sugar House for several years. If deemed a “special area” by the city, a special tax increment would be paid by property owners based on the appraised value of their property. While added property taxes for local businesses that own their storefronts doesn’t sound immediately appealing, the money it would generate for the neighborhood would be compounding and, in a way, priceless.
“Currently, we rely on grants from the city, and donations from developers and small businesses,” Clark said. “To have an operational budget that we could use to do events in Sugar House would be awesome.”
Roberts added that, besides events, the additional budget would be allocated towards street lighting and having an ambassador program like the one organized by the Downtown Alliance, which reportedly has increased accessibility and safety tenfold in the downtown area.
Roberts estimates Sugar House could increase in size by as many as 2,000 to 3,000 multi-family units in the coming years. He said the Chamber as a whole wants to be synchronized with this growth, but not in a way that sacrifices any of the charm that brings people to the neighborhood in the first place.
“One of the things that we’re really focused on is to make sure we keep the local flavor, kind of like they’ve done on 900 South,” said Roberts. “We don’t want this to be a bunch of national chains. We want it to be Utah-grown, Utah-owned retail and restaurants. As we grow, it gets denser and rents go up, so that’s going to be the challenge.”
The Chamber’s next major sponsored event is Sugar Fest, which will be held for the second year in a row on October 3. Sugar Fest is reportedly not only a promotional event for local businesses, but a celebration of everything their owners do to contribute to the health, vibrance and vitality of one of Salt Lake City’s most cherished corners.
Feature Image: James Roberts, co-owner of Sugar House Station and new co-chair of Sugar House Chamber of Commerce. Photo by John Taylor.
