Downtown Salt Lake City welcomes new state liquor store

Downtown Salt Lake City is now home to the state's new flagship liquor store.

Why it matters: The highly anticipated store is centrally located at 151 E. 300 South and comes as downtown sees a construction boom of apartments and new residents moving into the neighborhood.

State of play: The store replaces a previous location on 205 West and 400 South. At 14,500 square feet, it doubles the product capacity of the former location.

Zoom in: The store, which opened Monday, will also allow easier access to hospitality workers to pick up products for their business.

• There are about 281 establishments downtown that are licensed to serve alcohol, Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services director Tiffany Clason told reporters on Monday.

The intrigue: It's the first two-story liquor store in the state and includes refrigerated beverages — something Utahns have requested for years, Clason said.

• The store features 37 cooling units. Moving forward, all new state liquor stores will include refrigerated options, Clason noted.
• It also has a section for products made locally, such as High West Distillery .

The vibe: The large store is a far cry from the old location.

• It features large floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light and plentiful space to navigate different rows.
• Artifacts dating back to the 1800s that were found during the store's construction are also displayed.

Between the lines: As the city lures new sports teams to Utah, Salt Lake City Department of Economic Development director Lorena Riffo-Jenson told Axios it's critical to have an inviting liquor store for visitors and residents alike.

By the numbers: The store is expected to generate $13 million in revenue for fiscal year 2025. It's projected to become a top revenue-producing state liquor store.

• Of that, about $6 million will go toward funding roads, transportation, education and public safety.
• About 20% of sales are expected to come from hospitality businesses, such as bars and restaurants.

If you go: The store will be open Monday-Saturday from 11am-10pm. Parking is available for active shoppers just north of the building.

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