Friday night, shopping at the mall to pick out your favorite perfume. Spill-the-tea parties at a dessert shop. Dates to pilfer through the hottest new albums released on vinyl. These and other quirky hangout spots have become part of our daily lives in Utah.
But seasons come and seasons go, just like some of our favorite spots to hang. Here are some of the places that have closed down in Utah for one reason or another, with plenty of memories left behind.
ZCMI and Crossroads Plaza
"Yo, want to get some Mrs. Fields cookies?"
That was a typical Saturday for teens at the raddest place in downtown Salt Lake City — Crossroads Plaza. It was the mall of many a Utahn's childhood from the 1980s until it closed in 2007, with memories as potent as the smell of the Cinnabon. You probably remember buying back-to-school jeans from Mervyn's, or the iconic escalators that were featured in "SLC Punk." How about the fountain you tossed pennies into for good luck? Sigh. The good old days.
Across the street from Crossroads was ZCMI Center Mall, which opened in 1975. Maybe you bought your prom dress there; you likely stopped at the food court for an Orange Julius; and you probably went to see the "candy windows" each holiday season with your family. This mall also closed down in 2007, when both shopping centers were demolished to eventually make room for City Creek Center.
Graywhale
People always obsess over ways to listen to music. There was the era of destroying your dad's desktop computer from your Limewire downloads, but now you have your unlimited music streams on various apps. But perhaps the best way to find music is in a local shop that has actual albums. Graywhale Entertainment in Orem was the place to score new music on CD, or even cooler, on vinyl.
Whether for new bops, old classics, games or DVDs, it's always been a local favorite for finding entertainment. And while Utah County (and Sandy) had to mourn the loss of one of the greatest date night locations ever between 2018 and 2020, Graywhale in Taylorsville and Ogden continue on.
Frontier Pies
Utahns have always had a knack for gathering around food. It's probably because Beehive dwellers know that sometimes you need a hug from a loved one, and sometimes you just need a meal made with love. At Frontier Pies, locals went for just that — and the generous family-style portions, perfect for every celebration under the sun.
Sadly, the owners made the decision to close in 2002 after ongoing competition from national food chains that kept opening. But even nearly 20 years after its closure, people still talk about the chicken pot pies and cornbread.
Utah Fun Dome
For kids of the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s, the Fun Dome (or 49th Street Galleria for the eldest millennials) was the most legendary place for entertainment. Arcade and bowling? You and the crew meeting at the best mini-golf course after school? Field trips and missing class for the fun house? Rollerblading in your knee highs? Rollercoaster whiplash? Epic.
Unfortunately, the Fun Dome closed its doors in 2005 after over 20 years of fun following a shooting in 2003. The building subsequently housed a church and charter school.
Trafalga Fun Center
Back in its heyday, Trafalga Fun Centers in Orem and Lehi were the best places to have a birthday party as a kid.
You would choose your sharpest shooting friends to be on your team for laser tag. You would square off with your little brother in a go-kart bumper battle. Batting cages could be used to swing out some teenage angst. You likely took a first date to play indoor mini golf and arcade games.
After management changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the fun slowly petered out until both fun centers were closed in 2020.
Peppermint Place
The closest any of you or your family got to visiting the Wonka Chocolate Factory was a visit to Peppermint Place in Alpine and American Fork, which closed in 2016. The display windows that showed workers decorating sweets only made you more eager to buy tasty candy from the store.
Were you a chocolate fiend, or did you pick out every flavor of lollipop? Either way, sweet tooths of all kinds reminisce about the broad selection of sundries.
Did you visit any of these places before they closed? Which one was your favorite? What other iconic places of yesteryear did we miss? Leave us a comment below.
