From Deseret News archives:
Memories for sale
Items from Salt Lake inn, hotel lure crowd
In the midst of the mayhem, Kraig Adams of Salt Lake City stood anxiously by two end tables and a lamp.
"If I walk away, I lose it," said Adams, who was trying to catch the eye of his mother, across the room, who couldn't leave a stack of dishes that were too heavy to carry.
The Inn at Temple Square is slated for demolition to make way for the billion-dollar City Creek Center. The downtown project will combine retail, office and residential units in the blocks occupied by Crossroads Plaza and the ZCMI Center.
Doors opened at 11 a.m., but the line to get into the sale site, the abandoned Mervyn's at Crossroads, started forming about 8 a.m. At the very front of the line were Braden and Emily Atkins. Braden passed the time studying his embryology textbook, and Emily came armed with sheet music. As soon as the doors opened, they made a beeline for the pianos, and Emily sat down to play a bit of David Lanz. Then they wrote down their bid.
Most of the stuff was sold "cash and carry." The rest will be sold in a silent auction that is taking bids until 6 p.m. Nov. 11.
Bert Wonnacott's father started his career operating a freight elevator at the Hotel Utah and worked his way up to manager of the Hotel Temple Square. Wonnacott's grandfather was a doorman at the Hotel Utah. Wonnacott's wife, Chris, now works at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Hotel Utah's current incarnation. So, the Wonnacotts were thrilled to buy the Inn's welcome mat, which they plan to put in front of their house.
There were memories but also just frying pans and lamp shades and chairs and "amenities" the little soaps and lotions and pre-moistened towelettes that hotel guests usually take home for free.
In fact, there were so many bargain hunters that the Salt Lake City Police Department's "accident list" for Thursday afternoon noted "several cars parked on Trax line, trains can't get through, ps (possibly) due to a large sale at Mervyn's."
E-mail: jarvik@desnews.com
Comments
- Aggies beat Spartans in snowy Logan 4:31 a.m.
- TCU 55, Utah 28 4:24 a.m.
- BYU 24, New Mexico 19 4:21 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Stanford ends Y's soccer season 2:20 a.m.
- Jazz hope D-Will returns soon 2:19 a.m.
- Snow, SUU lose 2:18 a.m.
- Toone saves day for Wildcats 2:15 a.m.
- Win in New Mexico good for Y? 2:15 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - BYU happy to escape with victory
201 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - TCU creams U.
148 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
TCU beat Utah by 27. Check your math, bud.
I wrote to Hatch about simplifying and lowering our taxes. The Republican...
Great Win Tigers, We had to watch play by play on Desert News.com. It was...
Cannon's interpretation of the first amendment is absolutly correct. To imply...
After the way UNM performed in Orem, this was a big victory.
Good to hear your voice of reason again Tom!!
The loss of Terence Hooks (apparently for the rest of the season) really...
This guy just seems to hate all things Democrat. Me personally, I think all...
Is that total or per individual/group in each category? What will stop some...
I think it's safe to say that you are venting your anger because of the huge...


You can be the first to comment on this story.