Deseret News | ZCMI Facade to be stored and reinstalled

Reader comments
ZCMI Facade to be stored and reinstalled

Miss ZCMI | 8:24 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

Hopefully when they reinstall it, the Macy's sign won't be on it anymore. Don't get me wrong, I really like Macy's--it's a huge improvement over those awful Meier and Frank stores, but the sign just looks kind of dumb there. Just my opinion, though.

utahkeith | 8:46 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

To tell you the truth, I was worried about what might happen to this "landmark", Let's face it "Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution" is part of our history and heritage. It belongs as part of the City Creek Project and a bit of history in our future looking back into our past. Many people may be upset about the "Church's" prominence in our local society, but there would be no society here at all if it were not for the "Church" to begin with, it would still be a barren desert between Wyoming and Nevada.

Allen | 10:39 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

I am pleased and surprised. So little of our heritage is left.

Comments continue below

SLC gal | 11:00 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

Whew!!! At least there's one piece of good sense that I agree with. I was worried that the history involved with ZCMI was all set to be wiped out entirely. Still not sure I agree with anything going on down there (like letting it die out for almost a decade before doing anything???), but there's one thing they're doing right!

Enova | 11:15 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

Excellent. I only wish they had preserved the old part of the Key Bank faï¿½ade as well... perhaps it would have cost too much to isolate it. Well, I'm glad this part of our history will be preserved.

WC | 11:49 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

I hope they put it up with a little more class than an obvious facade on a big block of a building. I think it would even look very cool as a free-standing monument to what was there before. Or just have a building that matches the shape of the facade.

History Buff | 11:51 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

It would be nice if they included some sort of small museum about ZCMI at the entrance to the new store that had pictures of the old ZCMI store so people don't forget this part of Salt Lake's history.

Downtown died when ...... | 11:54 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

....ZCMI was sold, changed, and renamed.

Not just downtown SLC, but downtown Ogden. Both downtown areas have suffered since ZCMI closed.

ZCMI stores were wonderful places, from their great lunch rooms to their bakery goods and (downtown) the little grocery store. Their merchandising was great, there was something for everyone, the quality was high, and it was not "cookie cutter" stuff. Except for those wonderful cookies. The ZCMI bakery is gone (and now there's no wonderful raisin or date-filled cookies). There's no Tiffin rooms.
I can understand the Mormons (I'm not one) wanting to get out of the retail business, but WHY couldn't someone else have bought these VERY SUCCESSFUL stores and kept them as they were?

Now, there's Macy's. Everywhere you go. All the same. NOT nearly as nice. Nothing distinctive of the hometown, or the area.

It's too late now. We're going to get a another downtown area with circus-like architecture and dull chain stores (mimicking every strip mall in the world). At least I won't mind if it's closed on Sunday, because I'll probably never shop there.

To: Utah Keith | 11:58 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

Utah Keith: there WERE people here before the LDS came, and it's most likely that there would be a society here now, regardless of which "society" claims to have founded the aera.

People settled the west, where there were streams coming out of the mountains. It's all about the water, the history, and yes ALL OF US.

Utah Kris
Third-generation Gentile

Holiday Windows? | 11:58 a.m. Oct. 5, 2007

But will they start decorating those holiday windows again? We loved to go downtown at Christmas time to see the ZCMI windows.

cuncabo | 1:36 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

As a former busser and salad bar person at the Tiffin Room I'm glad to see it stick around.

LindaL | 1:41 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

I was born and raised in SLC and have since moved from the state. As a child, we NEVER shopped at ZCMI - or Auerbachs. They were too expensive, my mother said. We were more of a Grand Central, Kress' family. All those stores are gone or re-named. Too bad I never got to appreciate them.

Ex-ZCMI Manager | 3:36 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

ZCMI was a critical part of the character of downtown Salt Lake City. Unless you worked downtown, there was little other reason to come during the week, but in its heyday, ZCMI was a real destination. I, too, remember the ZCMI windows decorated at Christmas. I'm not talking about the cheap, bland, boring retail displays that they've had there at Christmas for the past few years. Those were almost insulting. I mean the CANDY window displays that were made by local artists. What a magical thing! It was reason enough to shop at the store, and I think that the departure from the traditional, local customs had a lot to do with the struggles that the store in downtown Salt Lake had in recent years. The candy Christmas windows weren't the only magical thing that ZCMI did. Does anyone else remember the extravagant Flower Show that they held there every spring? It was truly amazing, and another reason to feel proud and excited to shop at a store that really felt like an honored member of the local history. I hope that the City Creek planners are smart enough to recapture this sense of local history and magical retail experiences.

Former Salt Laker | 8:14 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

This was great news to see the ZCMI facade preserved. It really is a shame that pioneer facade from the Key Bank Tower was torn down. I had a visitor to SLC tell me once that all these preserved facades were one of the things that really set the Salt Lake City apart. I think City Creek will be a great addition to your city and look forward to visiting when everything is done.

Fred | 9:04 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

I live in St Louis, where a local store owned by May also became a Macy's, and last year, for the first time in 20 years, windows were decorated at Christmas, combining Macy's items with a theme from local organizations like the SL Symphony, The St Louis Cardinals, etc. And those were augmented by an annuaal train window that also used to be in the store. What fun it all was. AND for the first time in many years, SANTA returned to downtown other than for the Thanksgiving Day parade! So thee's hope for the old ZCMI, once rebuilt!

Anonymous | 9:39 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

In Salt Lake, there is little of its once unique character left to ruin. It's a big strip mall.

Stenar | 10:58 p.m. Oct. 5, 2007

I thought I read previously that the old stone facade on the Key Bank bldg was also being preserved.

Cat's meow | 10:02 p.m. Oct. 23, 2007

I am looking for ZCMI's recipe for raisin filled cookies?

Bee | 4:31 p.m. Nov. 13, 2007

When I was young we used to go to zcmi with our grandmother to shop . She used to buy these little sugar shell candies that had a kind of purfume scent liguid center in them. THey were on the expensive side and kind of a specialty I think.Was wondering if anyone else remembers these candies and what they were called and if anyone makes them anymore.ANy info apprecaited. Thanks.

Anonomys | 9:33 p.m. Jan. 7, 2008

I am po'd that the church had ZCMI center torn down. Bussines seemed to pick up after Crossroads Plaza closed. I agree with them tearing down crossroads but not ZCMI. I miss the downtown shopping experience of the 60's and70's, especially around Christmas. I miss riding the escalators to the various floors and dining in the Tiffin Room.

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