SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A longtime Main Street business owner believes ghosts protected his store from the fire that tore through part of downtown.
Peter Marshall, owner of Utah Book & Magazine, said his building was left virtually untouched while neighboring restaurants were heavily damaged.
The shop has been a downtown fixture for about 40 years, filled with books, collectibles, and what Marshall claims are real ghosts — some, he believes, are family members who once lived and worked in the area.
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Marshall said those spirits likely helped spare his store during the blaze.
Just down the street, Chef Charlie Perry has been watching reconstruction at his restaurant, Eva, which was damaged in the same fire. He said he feels fortunate to reopen in the coming months — and joked that maybe he has ghosts to thank, too.
Other restaurants destroyed in the fire, including Whiskey Street and White Horse, have also begun rebuilding. Business owners say they’ve relied on one another during recovery, with Marshall — often called the Governor of Main Street — offering support as they rebuild.
Ghosts or not, many along Main Street said things were looking up this Halloween in downtown Salt Lake City.
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