We Bet You Didn't Know That Utah Was Home To The Nation’s First Department Store
By Courtnie Erickson|Published March 08, 2022
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Courtnie Erickson
Author
From Southern Utah to the Panhandle in Idaho, Courtnie Erickson has lived in what she believes are the best (and the most beautiful!) areas in the country. She graduated with a journalism degree from Utah State University and has more than 15 years of professional writing experience. You’ll likely see her with a Dr. Pepper in her hand and a pair of running shoes on her feet. Courtnie is a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState.
Utah has a unique history compared to many other states in the nation. The Beehive State was founded by pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the state grew as these pioneers spread out, exploring and developing new areas. In fact, many Utahns don’t know that because of these pioneers, the Beehive State became home to many firsts, including the nation’s first department store — ZCMI.
The pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Led by Brigham Young, who was President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at the time, the pioneers went right to work developing the area. From building temples to homes, there was much work to do.
During the church’s General Conference in October 1868, Brigham Young asked for a vote from members to become self-sustaining with its stores and various industries. Around this time, President Young had accused many merchants outside of the religion of raising prices for church members.
The store became a place where members of the church could purchase everything they needed to survive. The inventory was comprised of various items ranging from fabric to groceries to hardware. The photo above shows Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution on 15 South Main Street in Salt Lake City in the late 1880s.
The first storefront opened its doors on April 21, 1869, on Main Street in Salt Lake City. President Young was the first customer that day, purchasing $1,000 worth of items for his family.
ZCMI grew very quickly with more than $1 million of sales in its first year. The department store began to expand and by 1870, more than 150 cooperative branches were established in multiple states.
One fun fact about the ZCMI stores is that at first, no cash registers were used. Rather, when you made a purchase, you would drop your money into a large kettle that was placed under the counters.
ZCMI had many features that made it stand out. For example, it was the first department store to establish a clothing factory, to employ women, and to have its very own fleet of delivery vehicles. The escalator in the ZCMI was also the first of its kind in the West.
In 1999, after 130 years in business, ZCMI was sold to the Macy’s corporation and the original store closed its doors for the last time in 2007. Fortunately, you can still see the beautiful ZCMI exterior as you visit downtown Salt Lake City, and it is a wonderful reminder of the history and legacy of our beautiful state.
