Utah's First Self-Service Liquor Store on Foothill Boulevard

The old Foothill Utah State Liquor Store at Lamplighter Square at 1615 S Foothill Blvd, Salt Lake City, was Utah’s first self-service liquor store.

Author's photo of the Utah State Liquor Store at 1615 Foothill Blvd, 2021.

The store opened in Feb 1967 and expanded with a front addition in the 1990s. In the photograph above  you can see part of the old-mid century modern design from the original building.

The Foothill store was different from others operating at the time as it operated more like a supermarket: customers were able to browse and select the items they wanted and then check out at a cashier stand (as is common now).

Previously, customers asked for their item and a clerk would obtain it for them behind a counter.

The new style of "self-service" store was an instant success. The Utah Liquor Commission quickly opened a second self-service store in Oct 1967 at the Avenues Plaza shopping center. Soon the Murray and Sandy stores converted to self-service as well.

To save on construction costs, the Utah State Prison carpentry shop built all the shelves, counters, turnstiles, and cashiers’ cages for these new self-service stores.

Interior of the SLC Sugar House Liquor Store in 1958 showing items behind the counter
Image from USHS and colorized by Adobe.

Interior of the SLC Foothill Liquor Store in 1967 showing shelves made by prisoners of the Utah State Penitentiary and open browsing aisles. Image from USHS and colorized by Adobe