Community
S & S Presents / Kilby Court
Four years ago, Lance Saunders and Will Sartain combined forces to become S&S Productions. Since then, the duo have been booking some of the raddest national talent to play venues in Salt Lake City, Utah. In January 2008, S&S extended their reach beyond booking—becoming owners of Kilby Court and partial owners of Urban Lounge. These days the two venues each host over 25 shows per month. … read more
Meditrina
To Jennifer Gilroy and Amy Britt, the couple responsible for the award-winning wine and small plate restaurant, Meditrina, it’s the personal touches that matter. After coming from backgrounds in nightclub management and the corporate sector, they started the foodie heaven in 2008 without investors, so little things are constantly improving. Having followed their own passions for food and excellent wine, they say it’s the energy of the place that makes it unique. … read more
Nobrow Coffee and Tea
In 2006, after half a decade of working as a barista in corporate coffee shops, Joe Evans decided to open his own coffee shop, and Nobrow was born. Although Nobrow is a boutique shop—specializing in coffees made from top-tier roasters around the country like Intelligentsia and Counter Culture—the atmosphere is casual and their espresso delicious. Nobrow is more than a mere coffee shop, it’s also serves a gallery, a practice space for local bands and a meeting space for many groups. … read more
Blue Boutique
Blue Boutique is one of the oldest and best lingerie/adult novelty shops in Utah. Walking into any of their four locations is like stepping into a casino in Vegas minus the drunk smokers, and with some extra sexy thrown in the mix. Longtime buyer Dionn Nielsen has been working with the shop since 1989, as long as SLUG has been around, and she still loves her job.Despite a move that hurt the business, and the initial protests over their new location, Blue Boutique has continued to thrive. … read more
Brick and Mortar
Hondo is a young entrepreneur who set up shop in the heart of Salt Lake with a dream and a promise to the skaters here to stay true to a skateboard-only skateshop. Hailing from Massachusetts, Hondo came out to Utah to finish a degree in English at the University of Utah and soon found himself immersed in the local skate and snow culture. The only thing that was lacking in the scene was a downtown skateshop, and he took it upon himself to make that become a reality. … read more
Blindside
Mo Collet, owner of the Blindside in Sugarhouse, has built a reputable shop by giving back to the community of skateboarders and snowboarders that frequent the area. Blindside is a staple of the skateboard and snowboard scene and has been for quite some time, without any plans to stop anytime soon. I sat down with Mo and banged out some hard-hitting questions about SLUG and the 22nd birthday of the magazine. … read more
Este
When a kitchen fire tore through Este Pizzeria’s Sugarhouse location, founder Dave Heiblim had few options. In order to finance the rebirth and continuation of his New York-style establishment, he sold a franchise to then-manager Brook Lund, who had worked in pizza since he was 16 and at Este since 2005. Lund quickly set up shop downtown on 200 S. and since then, he’s been using his decade-plus of pizza experience and slinging huge slices of thin, topping-laden pie with gusto. … read more
Jackalope Lounge
Roxan Morin and Sunyin Marci, owners of The Jackalope, are two of the most ever-present and semi-omnipotent bar owners/tenders in Salt Lake City. The whole “It’s better to be feared than loved” approach to service is thrown completely out the window. You can find them behind the bar on any given night serving your favorite firewater, killing you with kindness all the while. … read more
Salt Lake Bicycle Collective
Part of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective’s mission is to create good memories for every child. Jonathan Morrison, the Collective’s Executive Director, is dedicated to this cause and sees his role as a dot connector in the process. Though the Collective’s pedal pushing programs and volunteer-based bike shop have become integral to the local community, Morrison attributes the community’s influence as the driving force behind its creation and development. … read more
W Lounge
Casey Staker purchased the W Lounge in April 2004, mostly out of boredom and the opportunity to fulfill a long-time dream of owning a dance club. Since that time, Staker has transformed the small space into one of the hottest indie dance clubs in the city. Rye Rye, Chromeo, Million $ Mano, The Hood Internet and many other notable electro acts have packed the venue and provided club-goers with an intimate live experience, killer sound, low ticket prices and nightly drink specials. … read more