Frequent flyers and Moab residents passing through the redeveloped Salt Lake City International Airport will meet a familiar sight, as the Moab Brewery was selected as one of the final restaurants to be included in phase four of the airport’s renovations.
“It’s hugely exciting for us to represent Moab in the airport,” said Scott Davis, Moab Brewery vice president of sales. “We’ve actually been working on this deal for eight or nine years, ever since we heard that the airport was expanding.”
Construction on the airport’s redevelopment began in September 2020. “Phase Four,” which will include the Brewery, will be housed in a 16-gate extension scheduled to be opened in the fall of 2025.
“It’s targeted to open just a few months apart from our business’s 30th anniversary,” said Davis. “It’s amazing to think of how far we’ve come, with the support of Moab locals.”
The Salt Lake airport invited local and regional restaurants to bid on airport contracts, especially focusing on brands that showcased the best of Utah. When Moab Brewery leaders looked at list of existing businesses in the terminals, they saw a huge gap.
“The airport’s vision for the new terminal is to showcase the entire state of Utah, not just the Salt Lake area,” said Davis. “But if you look at the businesses that are currently at the airport, they’re fantastic but they’re all either national or from around an 80-mile radius of Salt Lake.”
“Northern Utah is beautiful, but we know that what really brings people to the state is our southern half,” he said. “The red rocks around Moab are what make this a world-class destination. We’re excited to represent that.”
The brewery is partnering with Paradies Lagardère Travel Retail, who will operate the location, and ensure the food, beverage, and general vibes match the Moab location closely—with a twist or two.
“No one would call our restaurant’s aesthetic ‘modern,’” Davis said with a laugh, “but the airport location will look a bit more modern but still familiar.”
The menu will be close to the same, with some extras: the airport location will also serve a breakfast menu based on brewery favorites and a grab-and-go section of takeaway food.
“One of the big key points that really helped us get this contract is that we’re really proud of our beer, but we take a ton of pride in our food as well,” Davis said. “We’re a brewery that serves food, but we’re also a restaurant that serves beer. Some other breweries emphasize one or the other.”
The food menu, like the Moab location, will include many items that incorporate the brewery’s craft beers into sauces, dips and even desserts.
“Having more business and gaining more attention helps our business reinvest back into the Moab community, to take part in events like the Grand County Fair and support local high school sports teams,” said Davis. “It’s only right for us to do that, since we couldn’t have survived this long without locals and local support. That’s the backbone.”
Construction on the new location will start at the end of the year with a scheduled opening in October/November of 2025.
This local business column is made possible with the support of the Grand County Economic Development Department, which strives to create a diverse economy, support local businesses and improve the quality of life for Grand County’s current and future residents.
