Beauty Queen,Ribbon Cutting, Buses, and Mays — Thrift City Makes History in Granger
✂️ Grand Opening of Thrift City – November 15, 1962
A Day of Excitement, Celebrities, and Community Pride
On Thursday, November 15, 1962, the community of Granger came alive with excitement as Thrift City, Utah’s newest and largest discount shopping center, celebrated its grand opening at 3500 South and 4000 West. The event marked the culmination of years of planning and hard work by J. E. Lehnherr, president of Valley Shopping Centers and founder of Thrift City, who envisioned a modern one-stop shopping destination for the rapidly growing west side.
To ensure that everyone in the Salt Lake Valley could experience this new kind of shopping, free chartered buses were offered throughout the day from downtown Salt Lake City. Buses departed every half hour from Broadway and State Street and First South and Main Street, carrying eager shoppers directly to the new Thrift City location in Granger — with no stops in between. The service ran continuously from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., making it easy for city residents to discover what many were calling “Utah’s most modern shopping experience.”
The festivities began midmorning when Salt Lake City Mayor J. Bracken Lee joined Miss Utah, Pat Profaizer, a Utah State University coed who had recently competed in the Miss Universe Pageant. Together, they cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the gleaming new complex, which featured acres of parking, a fully air-conditioned interior, and a vast array of departments — from groceries and clothing to jewelry, appliances, and a snack bar.
⚾ Willie Mays and Alvin Dark Bring Star Power to Granger
Adding to the excitement, the grand opening drew national attention with a visit from two of baseball’s most celebrated figures — Willie Mays, the legendary center fielder known as “The Say Hey Kid,” and Alvin Dark, the respected manager of the National League champion San Francisco Giants.
The two sports icons traveled to Utah for the event as part of their promotional partnership with Thrift City’s ownership group, which included Utah businessman Herman Franks — himself a former major league player and then vice president and general manager of the Salt Lake Bees Baseball Club. Their appearance created a stir among fans who flocked to the store hoping for a glimpse of their heroes.
Alvin Dark, a skilled golfer as well as a baseball manager, arrived earlier in the week to play a round on the newly completed Salt Lake Country Club course before joining Mays for the ribbon-cutting festivities. On Saturday, November 17, both men made personal appearances at Thrift City, greeting the public, signing autographs, and helping promote the new store’s “discount revolution” in Utah retail.
The presence of such high-profile guests, along with the local pride in J. E. Lehnherr’s vision, made the Thrift City grand opening one of the most talked-about events in the Salt Lake Valley that year. It symbolized both the growth of the Granger area and the arrival of a new era of suburban shopping — complete with modern amenities, celebrity flair, and a strong community spirit.
Baseball legend Willie Mays wasn’t just a celebrity guest at Thrift City’s 1962 grand opening—he was also one of its investors. Through his involvement with GH, Inc., a development group that financed the new Granger discount center, Mays joined fellow Giants player Whitey Lockman and manager Herman Franks in helping fund the million-dollar project. Their investment brought a touch of major league glamour to what became one of the Salt Lake Valley’s most talked-about retail ventures.
