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.
John Barber, and Henry Howe/Wikimedia Commons
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.
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Shortly after the vote, President Young and other church leaders formed Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution, better known as ZCMI.
Wikimedia Commons 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.
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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.
Wikimedia Commons 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.
Wikimedia Commons The photo above shows ZCMI in August 1967.
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.
Hermann Luyken/Wikimedia Commons
Did you know Utah was home to the nation’s first department store? Did you ever shop at these stores? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
John Barber, and Henry Howe/Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons
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.
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.
The photo above shows ZCMI in August 1967.
Hermann Luyken/Wikimedia Commons
Do you want to learn even more cool facts about Utah? Do you know why it is called the Beehive State? We will tell you all about it in this article!
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Address: ZCMI Historic site, 45-21 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
