Here’s how local businesses snag a coveted (and pricey) spot at the SLC airport

When a traveler arrives at the Salt Lake City International Airport, they’re met with dining and retail options to kill time before their flight. They can grab a local beer at one of the five brewery options, stop for a dose of caffeine at a coffee stand or pick up some Utah memorabilia.

Within the next two years, 12 new eateries and shops will join the lineup as the airport finishes phase four (the last phase) of construction. The local names include Utah delicacies like the soda shop Swig, Mr. Charlie’s Chicken Fingers and Moochie’s Meatballs and More, the sandwich shop that gained national recognition after it was featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Retail space at the airport is coveted.

“It's great to have a business in there because you have a continual amount of guests that flow from early in the morning to late at night,” said Rick Seven, the marketing manager of Salt Lake Brewing Co., located in Concourse A. The company also owns and operates Wasatch Brew Pub in Concourse B.

It’s not easy getting approved to set up shop in a busy airport with a captive audience. “It’s a pretty competitive process” to be selected as a retailer, said Kylie Bouley, the airport’s commercial manager, especially in a new airport where “everything's exciting and shiny.”

There’s limited space available, Bouley said, and the airport strives to have a mix of local, regional and national brands to offer travelers.

When space is open, Bouley said the airport publishes a request for proposal that details the available opportunity. It mentions things like the location within the airport, the lease terms and the kind of business wanted, whether that be a coffee shop, a convenience store, a bookstore or a business that serves alcohol.

“Anyone who is qualified and is interested can then submit a proposal on that space or spaces,” she said.

During phase three of construction, Bouley said the airport had about 19 spaces open and received around 70 proposals. But it’s a lengthy – and often expensive – process businesses must endure if they’re interested in expanding the operation to the airport.

Seven said once Salt Lake Brewing Co.’s proposal was finished, “it was a book about an inch thick.”

Stacey Maxwell, president and CEO of Millcreek Coffee Roasters, a local coffee joint located in Concourse A, said it took nearly three months to complete their proposal.

“You submit financials, you submit why you're qualified to be in the airport, how are you going to staff it, you talk about your menu, you talk about displays, you give an initial look of the store,” she said.

After that the proposals are rated on a point system by the Selection Committee. The committee, Bouley said, is composed of five people from diverse backgrounds that could include airport representatives to community members. If the committee likes the proposal, they call the potential vendor in for an interview.

Maxwell has made it to the interview stage twice. The first time, Millcreek Coffee Roasters was denied a spot at the airport. But on their second go-round in 2022, they made it all the way through.

“You're really nervous,” she said, speaking to the interview process. “It's a huge impact to your family's business and the income that they're gonna potentially make. It's super scary. And nerve-racking.”

The business has to be prepared. Seven and Maxwell said they have to account for how they will pay to operate essentially around the clock since an airport is open 365 days a year. They need staff that can pass background checks since it’s a highly secured building, along with various other details regular businesses don’t necessarily have to worry about.

“You have to keep track of every single kitchen knife that you have,” said Seven. “Running a restaurant is difficult enough. But then when you have to add the rules and security for the airport, it takes it to a whole different level.”

It’s also a lot of money to break into the airport market, especially for a small business. Maxwell said they invested around $1.3 million to open the coffee stand. Both Seven and Maxwell said operating costs in the airport are substantially higher than their brick and mortars in Salt Lake City.

Even then, Seven said it’s worth it, especially since liquor laws operate differently.

“You can go into Salt Lake Brewing Co. airport pub or Wasatch and have a drink without ordering food,” he said. “The type of license is much more conducive to having great business because sometimes when you have a rough flight, you just want to go have a drink, and don't necessarily want to sit down for a meal. It's very beneficial to our company [and] it's great for our employees.”

But Salt Lake Brewing Co. and Millcreek Coffee Roasters aren’t guaranteed a spot in the airport indefinitely. Bouley said the leases for eateries last 10 years. Once a lease is up, they start the entire proposal process over.

“Even the incumbent would have to propose and compete with everyone else who's interested in that space,” she said. “So that is really helpful for us because it keeps things fresh in the airport.”