Sam Weller's Books to move to Trolley Square

Sam Weller's Books to move to Trolley Square


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SALT LAKE CITY — Sam Weller's Books has found a home at Trolley Square, two years after the business announced it was moving from its longtime location on Main Street.

Owners Catherine and Tony Weller announced Thursday that they have signed a lease with Trolley Square and expect to open for business there in early fall.

Tony Weller said they selected Trolley Square after considering 30-35 locations downtown and near downtown. It came down to purchasing another property or leasing at the newly refurbished Trolley Square shopping area.

The bookstore will be at the southern edge of Trolley Square in 10,000 square feet that formerly housed movie theaters. The bookstore will include a coffee shop and will host large author events in the adjacent atrium.

Weller said he is working with an architect on the final layout of the store, which will be roughly the same size as the Main Street location.

The move fits with Trolley Square's ongoing overhaul, where the inventory of stores falls in the "popular but unique" lineup that includes Whole Foods, Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn.

"In moving to Trolley Square, we will be particularly pleased to join fine local businesses such as Tabula Rasa, Desert Edge Brewery, The Secret Garden, Cabin Fever and others," Weller said.

Tony and his wife took over the business from Tony's father, Sam Weller, and the bookstore will continue to carry Sam's name. "We don't want to harm our heritage," Weller said. "We see the necessity of this move. But in a multi-generational operation like this, it's not quite like it's totally ours. My wife and I own the business, but there's a lot of community investment in it."

The move plays into that investment. "If there's anything I have heard over and over, it's 'I'd come to see you a lot more if parking were free.' Come fall we'll have free parking again," Weller said.

One misconception Weller has battled is the idea the Main Street store is the bookstore's only home. "This is our fourth stable location," he said. The store started at 14 E. 100 South in 1929, moved a few doors east to 28 E. 100 South in 1932, then moved to 200 South between State and Main in 1939. The move to its latest address at 254 S. Main came in 1961.

Weller said changes in the book industry have seen his bookstore change some of its approach and trim down from 40 employees to the current 18. But in an age of online sales and e-books, Weller is promoting his store's tactile experience and staff expertise.

"We know a lot about books," he said. "There are 18 on our staff at an average of 11 years of experience per person. … You just don't find that in retail."

To celebrate the long-awaited decision, the bookstore is having a sale on used and rare books Friday and Saturday.

Email:sfidel@ksl.com

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