Salt Lake magazine’s Women Who Move Utah special section is an acclaimed and respected part of our September/October issue. Over the years, we have profiled and spotlighted successful women business leaders and owners across the state of Utah. Here, they share insights into their entrepreneurial journeys so others like them can follow their leads.
When Diane Etherington opened The Children’s Hour more than 50 years ago, she wasn’t simply starting a business. She was creating the kind of place she believed every community needed.
An avid reader since childhood, Diane moved to Salt Lake City in the 1970s and was surprised to find there wasn’t a dedicated children’s bookstore. “I was appalled,” Diane recalls. “There were so many children here and there wasn’t a children’s bookstore anywhere.”
What began as sharing favorite books with local mothers soon grew into book parties, then a tiny storefront and ultimately one of Utah’s most cherished independent children’s boutiques.
Today, The Children’s Hour has become a beloved destination where generations of families discover thoughtfully curated children’s books, clothing, gifts and keepsakes. Housed in Salt Lake’s iconic 9th and 9th neighborhood, the store is known not only for its carefully selected merchandise but also for the warmth and personal connections that have defined it for decades.
“I honestly feel like we’ve spent fifty years surrounded by wonderful human beings,” Diane says. “People who love children’s books are just lovely people.”
That sense of community remains at the heart of everything The Children’s
Hour does. Diane’s passion for children’s literature, combined with her family’s involvement and a dedicated team of longtime employees, has created an experience that extends far beyond shopping. It’s a place where families return year after year, where favorite stories become lifelong memories and where every child is encouraged to discover the joy of reading.
The Children’s Hour
801-359-4150 | childrenshourbookstore.com
898 S. 900 East, SLC
