New Sandy businesses driving economic development

By Stephanie DeGraw | [email protected] 

Sandy City is morphing into an urban and entertainment hub. New businesses and corporate headquarters located in the area provide jobs and allow residents to work within their community.

Most recently, the Duluth Trading Company and the Root Beer Store. "These stores, like all that have opened in recent years, are keeping with our goals of bringing variety and quality business to the area. We are very pleased to have them here in Sandy and know they will only make our city a better place to shop, dine and visit," Nick Duerksen, economic/RDA director, said.

Sandy focuses on businesses that will bring new experiences and employment when it looks at recruiting. Variety is vital for retail, dining, and entertainment or employers. New restaurants who call the city home include Mazza's, Midici's, Legends and Slackwater.

Another factor in Sandy's economic growth is how technology has changed our everyday lives. Experiential development is a crucial component of success from a local perspective.

"The new investment and tenants at the Shops at South Town is a good example of adding experience-themed shopping and repositioning the mall for future shopping preferences," Duerksen said. "On the employment side, Sandy has seen a great increase in corporate and regional headquarters, especially in the high-tech categories. With Sandy being part of the Silicon Slopes corridor, we have seen a steady increase in corporate-level job opportunities. Sandy has added over 5,000 corporate-level jobs since 2015."

Other businesses settling in Sandy include Cornerstone OnDemand, Dental Select and AvidxChange. In the upcoming months, new companies will include American Express, Castlight Health and others.

The Duluth Trading Company chose Sandy because of its many customers online. It was natural for the Wisconsin company to open in the area. They offer high-quality, solution-based casual wear, work-wear and accessories for men and women who lead a hands-on lifestyle. It's the company's first Utah location and has 15,656 in gross square footage. It features 11,604 retail square footage, Kristina Banks, store manager said.

"Duluth Trading designs hardworking gear for every season that solves problems. Our neighbors and visitors can depend on quality, unique products and a retail experience that puts customer service first. Shoppers will have access to the full collection and see our catalogs brought to life for the first time," she said.

The company’s 58th store in the USA features Buck Naked Underwear, Fire Hose Pants, No Yank Tanks, Free Swingin' Flannels and Spit & Polish collection. "We invite customers to stay a while, log on to our free wireless, take a seat in the hospitality area and enjoy complimentary coffee, tea and water," Banks said.

Hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. at 154 West 11400 South. Duluth Trading has hired about 40 employees.

The Root Beer Store recently opened on State Street. Tall, skinny, amber-glass bottles line the shelves. There are over 100 flavors available. "We just love the culture of root beer," Carlin Anderson, co-owner, said. "It's a lost art, and we would like to continue those traditions and educate people about how and why it all started."

The most requested flavor at the Root Beer Store is vanilla. Other classic styles include sarsaparilla, wintergreen, licorice, butterscotch, maple, caramel, molasses, cinnamon, clove and pecan. There are also energy drink root beers, organic and all-natural root beers, Anderson said.

A special-event room is available to rent for family gatherings. A free root beer tasting will be the first Saturday of each month. Root beer will be on tap, and customers can fill up a growler or rent a whole keg soon.

Carlin and his wife, Anastasia, are carrying on a family tradition. The store began with Carlin's grandfather, Ernest Virgil Anderson, who taught Carlin's father, Corey, how to make homemade root beer. Carlin remembers Buckin' Root Beer with a strong wintergreen taste as the family favorite. His dad sold some of his brews to his friends, and the demand grew from there.

"My dad Corey ran a janitorial business. He brought a case of homemade root beer to sell to his buddies, and from there, the idea exploded from a fun hobby to a full-time obsession with EVERYTHING root beer," Carlin said. "We have big plans to eventually transform our store into a pizza restaurant with ice cream floats and root beer on tap while maintaining the rich culture that surrounds the many kinds of old-fashion delicious root beer."

Root beer’s origins go back to 1265 on the British Isles as “Dandelion and Burdock.” In 1875, American pharmacist Charles Hires created a liquid concentrate of 25 herbs, roots and berries. Hires' concentrate mixed with water or seltzer.

The root beer store offers gift cards, flavored taffy, popcorn and barrel candy. Store hours are 11 a.m.–7 p.m. daily except Sunday. They will extend summer hours in the evenings the Rio Tinto Stadium has games.