SALT LAKE CITY — As a crowd formed outside his store, Sumter Pendergrast thought about the vision Bob Nilsen had after he joined Sidecar Doughnuts and Coffee a decade ago.
Nilsen, a Utah native, pushed for the growing Southern California chain to reach his home state someday. That vision became a reality on Wednesday, as the group stood outside of its new location, 701 E. 2100 South, in Salt Lake City’s Sugar House neighborhood.
Although Nilsen was unable to attend, Pendergrast, the company’s founder, noted that its expansion to the Beehive State marks a “big step” for the brand and its first location outside of California.
“This day is a day we’ve been dreaming of for a long time. … We’re super excited to come here and be a part of this community,” he said, before cutting a ribbon to signal the store’s opening.
Pendergrast launched Sidecar Doughnuts, first as a bakery truck in 2012, before opening a flagship location in Costa Mesa, California, a year later. It’s slowly branched out to seven other locations across Southern California, as it has grown in popularity. Nilsen joined the company in 2016 as its CEO and advocated for a Utah location when the company was ready to expand outside of its home state.
The market eventually started pointing that way, Pendergrast explains. He’d frequently meet Utahns at his California stores, many of whom had traveled to Southern California for Disneyland. Utah has become known nationally for its sweet tooth, potentially attracting people unfamiliar with the brand.
“I think it was a natural fit,” he told KSL. “So we thought it would be a great place to be our first out-of-state store. … There’s a market here.”
Sidecar picked the corner of 2100 South and 700 East because of the traffic visibility, as well as Sugar House’s “synergies” as a growing part of Salt Lake City, he added. It helped that construction along the street was completed by the time it was ready to open.
Neighborhood leaders are thrilled that Sidecar chose Sugar House for its first Utah location. It could help pull more traffic to the neighborhood, especially since it’s located across the street from a new Trader Joe’s, which could drive more traffic to other businesses in the area, said Scott Little, co-chairman of the Sugar House Chamber.
“I think these guys selecting this location says a lot of things about the future of Sugar House, and what we’re trying to do here,” he said, after attending Wednesday’s ceremony.
While it’s a California brand, Sidecar’s first Utah location comes with a uniquely local flair compared to its other locations. It’s the first location to offer dirty sodas, which is part of the territory in entering the Beehive State, Pendergrast points out.
The new location will also be operated locally, employing 35 to 40 people to sling out fresh doughnuts from early morning to afternoon. The company is celebrating its opening with a “free doughnut day” from 7 a.m. to noon on Thursday, before its grand opening from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.
Sidecar could add more Utah locations, depending on how its Sugar House location fares, Pendergrast said. Other parts of the Wasatch Front, as well as St. George, are among the areas it’s reviewing.
California pizza chain opens first Utah location
Sidecar isn’t the only taste of California now in Sugar House. Wednesday’s event took place a few days after Burattino Brick Oven Pizza opened its first out-of-California location at 1172 E. Brickyard Road, near the Sugar House-Millcreek border.
The company said it baked more than 150 extra-large pizzas in 2½ hours during its grand opening ceremony over the weekend.
The artisan pizza shop debuted in San Pedro, California, in 2016, and has since grown to add three more locations in the Golden State. It’s also planning to open a new location in Texas as it expands.
It seems to be a sign of Salt Lake City’s growth that both brands chose it for their first out-of-state locations, Little said. Sugar House, he adds, is becoming one of a few “business hubs” emerging from its growth.
“It’s really exciting to add to the energy and vibrancy of the city,” he said.
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