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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City east-side landmark announced Tuesday it is closing. Emigration Market opened in 1942, and news of the closure was met with a lot of sadness.
It was a regular day at work for Guillermo Estrada Tuesday … except it wasn't. As the chef at the Emigration Market Café, he's slowly running out of food, and he's been told not to restock anything.
"Closing the store is really sad," Estrada said.
The market will close its doors on April 3. Owners J.T. Martin and his wife, Kimberly, said the last few years have been a challenge, financially, and now there are no other options. They're selling everything in the store at a discount.
"I found out this morning, and I started crying," said Ronda Brennan, who's been a customer at the store for the past six years.
Paul Corbett, who's been a customer since 1947, said, "I've had great benefit over the years: a nice store, good location, people who really treat you nice."
Emigration Market opened in 1942 and has only changed hands a few times since then. Many kids in the area got their first job at the store; many more would stop by for the treats.
"I really like the prices on all the candy bags and bars," said customer Madeline Osborne.
But the hardest part for many is seeing the employees they've gotten to know over the years losing their jobs -- about 50 people total are now out of work.
Estrada said he'll take a few days to gather his thoughts, then go out and get a new job, but it won't be the same.
"That is what I'm going to miss most, talking to customers and making them happy," Estrada said. "That's my job: to make people happy."
There are no plans to tear the building down yet. In fact, the owners have commissioned a market survey to figure out the options for the future of the market. That should take several months.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
