Trolley Square, Salt Lake City

Trolley Square, located near downtown Salt Lake City, is a unique shopping destination with a rich history and distinctive architecture. Originally built in 1908 as barns to house the city’s streetcars, the buildings transformed into a two-story shopping center in 1972 after the streetcar system was dismantled in 1945. The center’s winding hallways, rustic brick and wooden floors, wrought-iron balconies, and fountains create a charming, nostalgic ambiance that reflects its industrial origins.

This trendy high-end center hosts an array of notable tenants, including Weller Book Works, Pottery Barn, Cabin Fever, Williams Sonoma, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Desert Edge Brewery at the Pub, The Spectacle, and various local boutiques. Historically, Trolley Square also featured a four-screen cinema and an amusement arcade, adding to its appeal as a multifaceted shopping and entertainment hub.

A prominent feature of Trolley Square is its iconic 97-foot water tower, a recognizable fixture of the Salt Lake City skyline. Originally serving as a water reservoir for the trolley barns’ sprinkler system, the tower held 50,000 gallons. In 1972, it was transformed into a landmark adorned with neon lights. For years, these lights functioned as a weather beacon, changing colors to indicate local weather conditions—solid blue for fair weather, flashing blue for overcast, solid red for rain, and flashing red for snow. Renovated in 2014, the tower now features LED lights that can display a broader range of colors for seasonal and event-based decoration.

Another unique feature is the sky bridge that spans over 600 South, connecting the main Trolley Square building to a parking lot. This bridge, salvaged from an ore conveyor at a former Tooele, Utah smelting facility, is illuminated with neon lights shaped like a trolley, enhancing the center’s nostalgic charm.