Wave of restaurant closures hits Salt Lake City

A string of local restaurant closures is underscoring the challenges business owners are facing to stay afloat.

Driving the news: The Local Market & Bar, Pig & a Jelly Jar, Taco Taco and SLC Eatery are among the latest to shutter in recent weeks.

The big picture: Pandemic-era dining habits, including ordering takeout and ordering delivery through apps, have slowed foot traffic at restaurants, Michele Corigliano, executive director of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association, tells Axios.

• Corigliano noted that food delivery apps can take up to a 30% cut per order, hurting a business' margins.
• Supply-chain disruptions that drive up food costs and wage increases have also challenged eateries.

State of play: The Juice Shop owner Meera Patel said last week the juicery, which opened in the Maven District in 2022, wouldn't renew its lease. Friday was its last day in business.

• The celebrated SLC Eatery abruptly announced its closure in August. Chefs Paul Chamberlain and Logen Crew were named James Beard Awards semifinalists in 2023 .
• "We tried hard to keep it open for you wonderful people but couldn't do it. This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make," the downtown restaurant posted on Instagram .

Zoom out: Nationally, menu price inflation and declining foot traffic were among the top hurdles facing the restaurant industry this year, according to Bar & Restaurant News .

Zoom in: Corigliano said the city's Sugar House neighborhood has been hit by closures particularly hard.

• SugarHouse BBQ in July announced plans to close after 26 years in business, citing economic uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing construction on 2100 South.
• By the Bucket: Hot Spaghetti to Go and The Locker Room, the city's first gay sports bar , also appear to have closed.