A Microgrocery Store in Salt Lake City

If you’re reading this, you are well aware that we at The Creative Pack have a rather large soft spot for the humble, independent grocery store. The more niche, the better. The affinity for microgrocers is especially strong when we venture out of our familiar Southern California bubble and find examples of these creatures in the wild.

 This was the case during a recent jaunt to Salt Lake City for the annual TCP company retreat. On the last day of our trip, we found ourselves in the 9th and 9th neighborhood, regarded by many as the hippest district in the city. One of the first shops we explored was Curriculum, a purveyor of clothing and lifestyle products sourced both locally and from around the world. 

Dark painted walls, Edison bulbs and polished concrete floor contributed to a moody and cavernous interior. At first glance, you would be forgiven for assuming that the goods on offer are limited to menswear and related accessories. But wander deeper into the dark recesses of Curriculum and you will find Extra Curricular, a shop-within-a-shop selling a plethora of products, from dry goods, snacks and beverages to ceramics, fresh flowers, greeting cards and even pumpkins (presumably seasonal). We spotted products from Los Angeles-based ceramicist Danny D. 

The local-meets-global approach continues here, with an impressive array of coffee and tea and all the artisanal noshes one could hope for. Everything in the store feels curated and considered, similar to the way Erewhon is laid out, except the shelves are far less crowded and the products have more room to breathe. The sense of intentionality stood in stark contrast to the rustic and homey feel that we encountered in many of the other businesses we visited during our time in Salt Lake City.    

Deeper still, Curriculum had one more surprise in store for the curious shopper. Walking through a side door, you will discover another room, this one housing a selection of books, stationery and premium audio equipment from Transparent. They offer hand-painted customization option for certain products like toolboxes. I could browse this store for hours.

Maybe that’s what makes Curriculum so compelling. It doesn’t feel like a clothing store with a few interesting things tacked on, nor does Extra Curricular feel like an afterthought. Instead, the entire space rewards exploration, with each room revealing another layer of the owners’ taste and point of view. For a bunch of packaging nerds who can’t resist a beautifully curated grocery shelf, finding a microgrocer hidden inside a clothing store hidden inside one of Salt Lake City’s coolest neighborhoods felt a little like striking gold.