Literary City Spotlight: Salt Lake City Edition
Salt Lake City is well-known for its dual-nature: integrating city life with access to the outdoors and unbeatable natural beauty. The most populous city in Utah, this state capital has 85 parks, breathtaking mountain views, and distinct neighborhoods like the quaint Sugar House, an increasingly vibrant downtown, and Federal Heights with its pre-World War II architecture.
Both active and artsy, Salt Lake City residents are just as likely to spend a day skiing and hiking as they are to visit an art museum or check out a ballet performance. Embedded in this rich landscape is a thriving literary culture full of independent bookstores and can’t-miss writerly events. Here’s our round-up of spots to visit.
Under the Umbrella
500 W. 200 S, Suite 120
Under the Umbrella, which describes itself as a “queer little bookstore” and a “safe, sober, and accessible place for 2SLGBTQIA+ to gather” is a haven for Salt Lake City’s close-knit queer community. The indie shop sees its mission as celebrating and amplifying LGBT books written by LGBT authors. In addition to shelves curated lovingly by the Under the Umbrella team, the shop also features a community curated shelf each month—one where a local community organization recommends their favorites. Under the Umbrella also has tons of events, a diverse array of book clubs, and an art gallery. You can also spend time reading or writing in Umbrella Café, their cozy in-store coffeeshop.
The King’s English
1511 S. 1500 E.
The King’s English is one of Salt Lake City’s most beloved and long-standing indie bookstores. Established in 1977, their sprawling collection is contained in a cute house, where readers can step inside to browse lots of genres and the store’s famous, carefully chosen staff picks. The store hosts monthly poetry events, as well as other readings and signings. Its staff also has a vested interest in fighting book bans and censorship – meaning you’re likely to discover some of the best banned books throughout history at The King’s English.
The Book Mural
250 S. Main St.
Need a bookish backdrop for your Insta feed? Stroll over to The Book Mural, a colorful piece of street art nestled in a downtown courtyard. As you pose, beloved titles will tower over you—including The Scarlet Letter, Animal Farm, The Cat in the Hat.
Central Book Exchange
2017 S. 1100 E.
Want to lose yourself in the trance of one of Salt Lake City’s biggest book collections? Then you’ll need to visit Central Book Exchange— a community fixture since 1968 that boasts over 40,000 shelved titles. This shop is especially likely to be your jam if you love scouring used books and finding rare editions and titles. You’re likely to walk away from Central Book Exchange with a bag full of bargains and maybe even a few antiquarian collector’s items.
Weller Book Works
607 Trolley Square
Weller Book Works, which opened in 1929, has two floors of books, including a designated Rare Book Room that’s full of special treasures. The store staff is particularly proud of their curated New West section, a multi-genre section devoted to books that take an “unblinking look” at Western culture and history. Here, you’re likely to find books that open you up to new perspectives, challenge dominant ways of thinking, and introduce you to fresh, diverse voices. Weller Book Works is also known for hosting events to cultivate literary community, including a weekly breakfast club where readers discuss their fave books over breakfast, and a Lit Knit crafting circle.
Looking for more literary-inspired trips? Check out our recent deep dives into Portland and Ithaca.
