Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The owner of Sam Wellers Bookstore Wednesday announced several changes that would occur in conjunction with the third generation bookstore’s relocation to Trolley Square.
The grand opening of Weller Book Works will be Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 — the same day the store's new website, wellerbookworks.com, will launch. The last day of business for the Main Street location of Sam Wellers Bookstore will be Dec. 24.
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.
Named for its original owner, Sam Weller, who died in June 2009 at the age of 88 — the bookstore was a Main Street retail anchor for decades.
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 the central business district address at 254 S. Main came in 1961.
Sam Weller joked he was the mayor of Main Street because he had been there so long. After losing his eyesight, Sam Weller passed the business to his son, Tony, in 1997.
"For months we pondered how to preserve the family name while embracing a new identity that reflects the changed culture, our new location, and our new style of bookselling," Tony Weller said. "We settled on 'works' instead of store because it is an active word and we’re active booksellers. Works has good connotations."
He said the new store will be almost exactly the same size as the main floor and mezzanine of our Main Street location. Weller Book Works will sell new, used and rare books with special emphasis on departments containing books readers want to own rather than just browse, Weller said.
Email:jlee@ksl.com
