Mary Lindsey opened Everything Utah a unique gift store celebrating the lesser-known treasures of Utah – as a way to introduce both visitors and locals to the state she loves. She considered other visitor shops and lamented how generic their offerings seemed. Everything Utah speaks to the pride Utahans feel about their state, their history and their future.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought Everything Utah to a halt. With two part time employees and no revenue due to the store closing, Lindsey worried that her business might have to close permanently. She knew Everything Utah was worth preserving for her family, her customers and especially her employees.

After re-opening following a month-long closure, Everything Utah still had little revenue and Lindsey hadn’t brought her employees back to work. With few options, Lindsey sought a PPP loan from CRF to re-hire her employees and resume building her business momentum.

Everything Utah is not only open for business today but thriving in a growing tourist economy and seeing a pent-up demand for unique gifts, particularly those from Utah artists and makers. Without the PPP loan, Lindsey and her husband may have been forced to abandon their dream of entrepreneurship. Instead, the PPP loan gave the business a chance at a successful post-pandemic future.