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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
What a joy it is to see a family business that continues to thrive in its third generation of family ownership. Such is the case for Jensen's Department Store in Manti.
This year, Jensen's is celebrating its 85th anniversary. John and Kay Jensen, the current owners of the store, will hold a large anniversary celebration on July 2-3. The commemoration will feature sales, product giveaways and support from the local radio station. John is excited to see the store reach such an important milestone.
John's grandparents, Gail and Grace Jensen, founded the store back in 1924. It started as a small grocery store but expanded into a dry goods store a few years later when they purchased another portion of the building. Two years later, Gail purchased the entire building, formerly known as the Tuttle Hotel, and turned it into a department store. They ran it until 1952 when John's parents, Bob and Joyce, took over.
Jensen's Department Store carries clothing, shoes, purses, and even a few houseware items. John tells me shoes are the top-selling item, particularly Sketchers, Nike and New Balance. The county doesn't have anywhere else with quite as large of a selection. Clothing brands such as Roxy, Quicksilver, Levi, and Wrangler are in high demand, as well as Jody dresses. Patrons like the selection and quality of the clothing and the reasonable prices.
Jensen's also offers Hunter-Douglas blinds and scout and public safety uniforms. Customers also rely on the extra services the store offers such as a UPS and dry cleaning drop off and tuxedo rentals.
After being in the same location for 85 years, John says people know Jensen's Department Store and appreciate the friendly and efficient service they receive. He hopes to see it continue for years to come so residents from Manti and the surrounding areas can enjoy shopping locally.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
Jensen's Department Store 29 N. Main Manti, UT 84642 435-835-3131
