Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
Deep Roots Harvest
Just across the Utah border in West Wendover, Deep Roots Harvest has become a trusted destination for Utahns and Nevadans alike. The Wendover location—just 90 minutes from Salt Lake City—is the only cannabis dispensary across the Nevada border for 140 miles, making it a vital hub for both cannabis education and access.
Since opening their first store in 2016 in Mesquite, Deep Roots Harvest has expanded to 10 locations across Nevada, building their reputation on customer service, transparency and community connection. Their team of knowledgeable budtenders helps patients and recreational users alike find the right products from an impressively fresh and diverse inventory.
Mesquites Deep Roots Harvest Indoor Greenhouse
Visitors can expect top-tier flower, edibles, cartridges and wellness products, all carefully curated to reflect the latest trends and needs in the cannabis space. Whether you’re new to cannabis or a seasoned consumer, the staff takes time to educate and empower, making each visit informative and personal.
Deep Roots Harvest is more than a dispensary, it’s a community partner. Their Wendover location frequently hosts vendor fairs, providing space for growers, creators and customers to connect face-to-face. That same deep-rooted spirit extends through everything they do.
From one small store to a statewide network, Deep Roots Harvest stays grounded in what matters most: people. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, Deep Roots Harvest in Wendover is worth the detour for a truly memorable stop.
Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
Millcreek Common
Millcreek Common stands out as one of Utah’s premier destinations, offering a unique blend of versatile event spaces, outdoor recreation, and community-driven experiences, all in the heart of Millcreek. Perched on the sixth floor of Millcreek’s City Hall, this private event space offers breathtaking views and a seamless experience for everything from weddings to corporate events and milestone celebrations.
With a state-of-the-art sound system, interactive lighting and all-inclusive tables and chairs, The Grandview ensures your event has the perfect ambiance. The expert event team can assist with catering, decor and entertainment, providing flexibility and customization that guarantees a memorable occasion.
Millcreek Common’s Grandview event space is ideal for weddings or corporate events
But The Grandview is only one part of the story. Millcreek Common features outdoor amenities like the Skate Loop, Climbing Wall, and Splash Pad, offering guests fun activities between events. You can even rent the entire plaza for group roller skating, ice skating, or climbing sessions, creating an unforgettable experience for your guests.
From quinceañera and bar mitzvah receptions to weddings, team-building events, and corporate holiday parties, the team is ready to transform every occasion into an unforgettable experience. With its dynamic mix of private and public spaces, Millcreek Common offers the ideal setting to gather, play and create lasting memories.
Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
Minky Couture
Sandi Sumner Hendry’s journey to success is a powerful example of perseverance, passion and the beauty of never giving up on your dreams. Born and raised in Orem, Utah, Sandi has always stood out—not just for her beauty and grace, but for her warmth, generosity and commitment to improving the world. A Brigham Young University graduate, Sandi spent over 30 years as a school teacher before transitioning into the business world. Little did she know that her third career as the founder of Minky Couture would be the one to truly change her life and the lives of countless others.
The spark for Minky Couture came from a personal experience. When Sandi’s daughter became seriously ill and spent several months in the hospital, she asked for a “big baby blanket” to snuggle with during her recovery. Frustrated by the lack of a truly cozy, stylish blanket, Sandi decided to create one herself. The hospital staff fell in love with it, and soon, friends and family began requesting blankets. Sandi realized she had discovered something special and Minky Couture was born.
Since its humble beginnings, Minky Couture has grown into a beloved brand, known for its luxurious, ultra-soft blankets. Today, Minky has six retail locations across Utah, with plans for a new store opening in Logan on August 1. With 350 employees, Sandi’s vision has created job opportunities for many, including stay-at-home moms who work as seamstresses, providing them with meaningful employment from home.
But Sandi’s success is not just about growing a profitable business, it’s about giving back. A cause close to Sandi’s heart, Minky Couture’s “Heart of Minky” program donates thousands of Mini Minky blankets to neonatal intensive care units around the country, offering support, comfort and love to premature babies and their families during their challenging journeys.
Sandi’s unwavering belief in giving back is rooted in her philosophy: Never give up on your dreams. She encourages everyone to pursue their passions and understand that while obstacles are inevitable, they are also part of the journey. “It’s amazing how something as simple as a comfortable blanket can help people heal,” she says. “Minky Couture has been my vehicle to donate and make a difference in the lives of others.”
Sandi’s remarkable leadership and generosity have not gone unnoticed. She has earned multiple awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019 and the Women in Business Athena Award in 2020. Minky Couture has also earned the prestigious “Best of State” award multiple times.
With her heart-led leadership and unstoppable vision, Sandi Sumner Hendry reminds us what the Best of Utah truly looks like.
Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
Gateway to Flavor: Scout Bar & Grill Rises as a Southern Utah Standout
Stationed within the rugged beauty of Zion National Park’s gateway, Scout Bar & Grill offers a fresh take on camp-inspired comfort food. Located at Red Cliffs Lodge Zion, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel and ‘Best of Utah’ destination, the restaurant brings bold flavors and a laid-back approach to this Springdale, Utah newcomer.
Scout Bar and Grill dining area
Executive Chef Jacqueline Siao leads the culinary vision, crafting a menu designed with hikers, campers and travelers in mind: those craving something hearty and satisfying after a day in the wild. The menu leans into smoked meats, open-fire cooking and dishes that reflect the spirit of the Mountain West. Signature offerings include fried chicken that’s lightly smoked to infuse just the right touch of campfire flavor, as well as a smoked brisket recipe borrowed from a favorite barbecue joint in Austin, TX.
Everything is designed to be honest and uncomplicated, with global comfort food influences and high-quality ingredients. Scout’s Bar & Grill atmosphere matches the food: relaxed, welcoming and perfect for unwinding. Guests can enjoy craft cocktails, play board games, challenge friends to shuffleboard or relax by the fire pit.
Bringing people together with its private dining room and thoughtful staff, Scout Bar & Grill has become a go-to spot for wedding dinners, birthday celebrations or other group gatherings.
Scout Bar & Grill offers a dining experience that captures the flavors, warmth and sense of adventure that define the region with a menu rooted in campfire cooking and comfort food classics.
Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
Wittwer Hospitality
When St. George was settled in 1861, it was little more than an arid desert. Early pioneers, sent to cultivate cotton, endured harsh conditions as they laid the groundwork for what would become a thriving community. A symbol of their dedication, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ St. George Temple was completed in 1877 and remains a landmark following its 2023 renovation.
The city remained quiet until the early 20th century, when the opening of Zion National Park in 1919 and Bryce Canyon in 1928 began attracting visitors. With newly paved roads like the Arrowhead Highway (later U.S. Highway 91), travel became easier, and so did the promise of hospitality.
Lester Wittwer recognized that promise. A Santa Clara farmer-turned-entrepreneur, he transported produce across state lines before stepping into the hospitality industry. After briefly owning a motel in Las Vegas, Lester returned home and opened the Wittwer Motor Lodge on St. George Boulevard in 1955. Ahead of his time, he introduced Utah’s first hotel with refrigerated air conditioning and one of the first with a swimming pool.
As motels sprouted along the highway in the 1950s and ’60s, St. George began to emerge as a destination. The opening of Dixie Red Hills Golf Course in 1965 marked a new chapter, helping define the area as a recreational retreat.
Lester and Vanola Wittwer raised six children in the business, passing on a legacy of hard work and genuine care. In 1968, their sons Royden, Tony, Mel and Sheldon opened Best Western Coral Hills, just two blocks from the original lodge. By the 1990s, tourism in St. George was booming, thanks in part to the opening of Tuacahn Amphitheatre and other area destinations. The Wittwers’ third hotel, Best Western Plus Abbey Inn, opened in 1996 and was St. George’s first to offer a full, complimentary hot breakfast.
Today, Wittwer Hospitality carries that tradition forward with its guiding purpose of Heartfelt Hospitality™. The company recently broke ground on the LivSmart Studios by Hilton in West Valley City, its second hotel in Northern Utah, alongside the Candlewood Suites in Layton. The move marks a thoughtful expansion into new communities, guided by long-term vision rather than short-term gain.
With three new hotels planned in St. George, Wittwer Hospitality remains committed to investing in people, places and experiences that endure—continuing a legacy not just in Southern Utah, but throughout the state and beyond.
Greatness isn’t just found elsewhere—it’s built right here. From trailblazing startups to beloved local staples, these businesses shape Utah’s economy, community and future.
This is the Place Heritage Park
Whether visiting to enjoy its daily calendar of activities, to learn about the settlement of the West or to attend an event in one of its 11 historic venues, This Is The Place Heritage Park offers a unique and inspiring experience for everyone.
“The unique mission of This Is The Place has a deeply personal place in my heart,” says recently appointed Executive Director and Chairman, Case Lawrence. “Over the next several years, there will be significant opportunities to showcase Utah’s amazing story for the world.”
Suppose you haven’t visited the Park since a fourth-grade field trip. In that case, it’s time to rediscover the updated exhibits and iconic historical buildings that connect us with our roots and celebrate Utah’s history.
The journey begins at the Pioneer Center. With its strong wooden beams, artwork, sculptures and multimedia presentations, it stands near the point where thousands of pioneer immigrants emerged from Emigration Canyon and glimpsed their new home.
From there, visit the Pioneers of 1847 Monument honoring early African American pioneers, the Pioneer Children’s Memorial and the newly completed fort. Take in the Native American Village, which pays tribute to native tribes and allows visitors a glimpse into their way of life.
Then, enjoy activities designed to disconnect from the modern world and make history fun. Trains with guided tours, pony rides, a petting corral, panning for gold, handcart pulls, pioneer games, arts and crafts projects and interactive presentations by artisans will entertain and inspire. Or try your hand at pioneer chores, leather crafting and more throughout the Village and in a variety of historical homes.
Finish your day at the Heritage Park Gift Shop, a local and national destination, near the beautiful new plaza. Open seven days a week and featuring locally sourced gifts, it offers a variety of ‘something for everyone’ collections. A visit to the Park isn’t complete without a stop at Brigham’s Donut Shop, where you’ll get a taste of a unique recipe with a secret ingredient harkening back to the pioneer era. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, if you have an hour or a day, This Is The Place is well worth the visit.
Visit Pixar Putt at Mountain View Valley in Riverton! The interactive, 18-hole course is inspired by your favorite characters from some of Disney and Pixar’s most beloved films, including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Inside Out. Following a sell-out Washington D.C season and last year’s D23 Expo, Pixar Putt is taking Riverton to infinity and beyond! Get your tickets today at www.pixarputt.com.
Charley Crockettrolled into Salt Lake City on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) at Granary Live and everyone within earshot was better off for the long visit. In addition to those who ponied up and actually paid for admission, his songs invited their share of curious rooftop watchers, too. And the higher up their roofs actually were, the better their views of the eventual hazy sunset were. Scenery with a soundtrack. A midweek double win.
While the concert had all the polished bravado of a shiny Vegas show — Crockett’s larger-than-life name was all in lights behind him and also painted in red across his tour bus, challenging you to ever forget it — he also took time to get more intimate, too. Often, it was just him and his acoustic guitar on the stage, drawing you in with tales likely plucked from his own life, favorites like “Welcome to Hard Times,” “$10 Cowboy,” and “I Need Your Love.”
Crockett’s visit was an ample excuse for Utahns to wear their favorite cowboy boots and hats, nearly mirroring the Texas singer, no matter what level of cowboy/cowgirl they were. While his music appears to transcend the genre it mostly belongs to — there’s a lot of soul and maybe even an occasional touch of R & B in there if you listen hard enough — defying easy categorization is a plus. It increases how we see him and what he’s able to create in the future. In short, Crockett is hardly a one-note talent or success, and he proved that with every song he performed.
Your summer trips to the Mighty Five may look a bit different this year, as the National Park Services face staffing shortages, protection rollbacks and structural upheavals within the Department of the Interior. As NPS leadership braces for the surge of high season, employee morale—and the future of public land preservation—sink deeper into uncertainty.
The loss of expert personnel is not just a detriment to visitors, but to the ecosystems these parks exist to protect. Photo courtesy of NPS.gov
In February, the White House Department of Government Efficiency laid off nearly 1,000 NPS employees as part of a larger plan to reduce the federal workforce. Those targeted by the layoffs included probationary employees, but also a range of specialized positions, including emergency rescue, park guides, exhibit specialists, biologists and more. To further strain the already-thinned ranks, nearly 5,000 offers to seasonal employees—vital to maintaining park access and safety during the busy summer months—were also rescinded.
Among those hit hardest by layoffs were Florida’s Everglades National Park, New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Closer to home, Utah’s own Zion National Park lost 13 employees, according to the Executive Director of the Association of National Park Rangers, Bill Wade. The impact was immediate. Visitors and staff alike encountered trail closures, reduced visitor center hours and long entrance lines—cars entering Zion stacked more than a half mile into Springdale over the last Presidents Day weekend.
The crown jewel of Utah’s Mighty Five, Zion National Park sees a surge of visitors during the summer. Last year the park reported 4.9 million visitors and was the second-most visited National Park in the country. Photo credit Unsplash
The long-term consequences of NPS instability include much more than just visitor inconveniences. Stretched-thin rescue services make national parks inherently more dangerous, forcing some park managers to close high-risk trails altogether. At Arches National Park, the beloved Fiery Furnace hiking area was closed indefinitely on March 27 due to a shortage of available rescue personnel. Arches spokesperson Karen Hanker says the closure was a direct response to a the cuts. “Should something happen to someone in the Fiery Furnace, we would need to provide support,” Hanker said in a statement to the Moab Times-Independent. “Rescues are incredibly staff-intensive anywhere in the park, let alone a place as geologically complex as the Fiery Furnace.”
The loss of expert personnel is not just a detriment to visitors, but to the ecosystems these parks exist to protect. Land stewards engage in ecological monitoring, long-term wildlife health, water quality, night-sky preservation and more—all of which are at risk with the drastic structural changes occurring under the current administration. “Land managers do incredibly important work,” said Outdoor Alliance VP for Policy and Government Relations Louis Geltman. “They are at the front line for stewarding the resources we all care so much about, and the loss of these workers will have real, tangible impacts on our public lands.” Predicting the full extent of the fallout remains difficult, as new directives continue to emerge almost daily from the Supreme Court and the Department of the Interior.
Protestors gather at Zion National Park to advocate for public lands. Photo credit Nature Needs Us | natureneeds.us.
Efforts to reverse the damage have met resistance. In late March, two U.S. District Court judges ruled to reinstate the 16,000 laid-off employees across the federal government, including those within the NPS. The whiplash continued when the Supreme Court placed a hold on the order on April 8, creating a hiring freeze and further confusion. Just a week later, on April 17, Interior Secretary Doug Burghum signed a sweeping order transferring staffing and structural authority for the Department of the Interior to Tyler Hassen, former oil executive at Basin Energy. The appointed official is now acting chief for policy, management and budget across the National Park Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Bureau of Land Management and other Interior bureaus. The secretarial order has raised alarm bells for conservation groups and environmental advocates, who view it as a significant step toward a full DOGE-led reorganization of the DOI. “This order shows what it looks like when leaders abdicate their jobs and let unqualified outsiders fire thousands of civil servants who are working on behalf of all Americans and their public lands,” said Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala in a statement.
Amid sweeping layoffs and shifting leadership, the National Park Service stands at a crossroads—undermined by uncertainty, stretched thin by politics, and struggling to protect the lands it was built to serve.
More Policy Endangering Public Lands
In the first weeks of his presidency, Trump declared a National Energy Emergency, citing an insufficient energy supply, grid instability, and notably, the need to tap into “unrealized energy resources” across the country. The executive order has serious consequences for public lands, whose protections are in danger of being rolled back to open up for extraction projects. In late April, the Interior Department announced that it would begin fast-tracking permits for fossil fuels and mining operations, slashing the approval timeline from years to just 28 days. Expedited permitting will more than likely override environmental safeguards, which could mean some of our favorite natural landscapes will become riddled with drilling rigs. Ongoing efforts to shrink national monuments like Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears, along with pushes to privatize public lands, further darken the outlook for America’s natural spaces.
More Than Maintenance
Beyond their many external-facing duties, NPS employees research, survey and develop plans to protect and preserve our public lands.
Scientists at the NPS Air Resources Division monitor smog, smoke and visibility to reduce air pollution.
NPS Climate Change response program helps parks plan for ongoing sea level rise, increasing wildfires and extreme weather
NPS Natural Sounds + Night Skies Division preserves our Dark Skies by studying baseline light and noise levels to help mitigate sources of pollution
NPS Youth + Young Adult Programs partner with service organizations to place young people in parks across the country, shaping the next generation of public lands advocates
NPS Office of Native American Affairs supports the US’s Trust and Treaty responsibilities to tribal nations
NPS Tribal Historic Preservation Officers ensure cultural, religious, and spiritual sites are protected as required by federal law.
Action Items
Public lands belong to all of us. The fight to protect them is now.
Vote in local elections, share your voice on why you love public lands, and post about issues you care about
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