“I’ve always loved museums. I remember being really little, standing in front of a painting, and my mom saying, ‘Someone made that - with a brush.’” For Kathleen Bodenlos, that moment stuck. Raised in Pittsburgh by a mother who found ways to expose her daughters to art, science, and culture despite limited means, Kathleen learned early on that museums were places of possibility. “We didn’t have a lot, but my mom made sure we had the arts,” she said. “Looking back, I realize how much she sacrificed, but she lit a spark in me that’s still burning.” Today, as CEO of Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, Kathleen is paying that gift forward - revitalizing the museum into one of Utah’s most dynamic cultural institutions. But the path was far from linear.

“I was eight years old when I started working,” said Peter Marshall, owner of Utah Book and Magazine. “Got five bucks a week. That was good money.” He dropped out of school just two weeks into the eighth grade. “Told my dad and grandpa I’d rather work with them. And I never looked back.” At no time has Peter stepped away - not once in sixty-two years.

“No matter where you are in your journey of figuring out your gender or your sexuality - and no matter how you identify - you are welcome here.” Kaitlyn Mahoney, owner of Under the Umbrella, never imagined she would open a bookstore, let alone the first queer-specific bookstore in the country. But when no one else stepped up to fill a void she knew existed, she decided to do it herself. “Somebody should open a queer bookstore… obviously there is a need. Nobody did. So, I did.”

“If I did it right, it should feel like home.” This simple yet profound statement from Mary Lindsey captures the essence of Everything Utah, the expansive yet charming boutique she owns in Salt Lake City. Mary’s journey to opening this business is as rich and varied as the products she offers, each carefully selected to represent the many facets of Utah.

“It was my mom that inspired me to go ahead with this idea. I will be forever grateful.” When you walk into The Children’s Hour, you step into a world carefully curated by the heart and soul of Diane Etherington, a woman whose warmth and passion for children’s books has touched the lives of countless individuals for over four decades. My first encounter with Diane was nothing short of enchanting.