2010 marks our eightieth anniversary and makes us the second oldest Restaurant in Utah. Unfortunately, Ruth didn't live to see it. She passed away in November of 1989 at the age of 94.
In 1930 she started the diner as Ruth's Hamburgers downtown in the Meredith Building at 120 East Second South. After many years of flipping burgers downtown, her building was sold and demolished. So she bought a Salt Lake Trolley car and moved it up Emigration Canyon where she reopened in 1949. Ruth built an apartment onto the back of her trolley car (it's now the lower dining area and kitchen) and lived on the property alone with her little Chihuahua dogs for almost forty years.
During the 50's and 60's, Ruth's became a familiar stop for the fraternity boys looking for a cold beer and some local color. ID's weren't carefully checked since Ruth didn't think any more of that law than she did the new smoking ordinances.
In 1977, Ruth sold the Diner to one of those frat boys. Today, Tracy and Erik Nelson, who have been associated with the Diner for many years, are the proud new owners.
(from http://www.ruthsdiner.com)
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