Businesses That Opened in Tooele County in 2025
If you blinked last year, you might have missed something big. New businesses in Tooele arrived at a pace the county has never seen before, and the momentum from 2025 is carrying straight into this year. From major grocery anchors to fast-food favorites and brand-new hotel rooms, Tooele County development delivered real results that residents can see, shop at, and work in every single day.
Smith's Marketplace Grand Opening
The headline story of late 2025 was the Smith's Marketplace Tooele County grand opening in December. This was not just another grocery store. The full-format Marketplace concept brought an expanded grocery selection, a fuel center, a pharmacy, home goods, apparel, and more under one roof. At roughly 125,000 square feet, it instantly became one of the largest retail footprints in the county.
The numbers behind the opening tell an even bigger story. Smith's Marketplace created approximately 260 jobs, and a staggering 95% of those hires were local Tooele County residents. That is the kind of economic impact that ripples through an entire community — more household income, more local spending, and a stronger tax base. If you are searching for Tooele County jobs, Smith's set the standard for what large employers can do when they commit to hiring locally.
Jack in the Box Arrives in Tooele County
Jack in the Box Tooele County opened its doors in October 2025, giving residents a late-night drive-through option that the area had been missing. Located along the main commercial corridor, the restaurant filled a gap in the fast-food landscape and became an immediate hit with night-shift workers, families, and anyone craving tacos at midnight. This was one of the most talked-about businesses opening in Tooele last year, and it arrived just in time for the holiday rush.
New Hotels: Home2 Suites and Microtel
Tooele County's hospitality sector also saw a significant upgrade in 2025 with the opening of Home2 Suites by Hilton and Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham. These two properties added dozens of modern hotel rooms to the county, addressing a long-standing shortage that limited tourism, business travel, and event hosting. Whether visitors are coming for motorsports at Utah Motorsports Campus, outdoor recreation in the Stansbury Mountains, or business meetings in Tooele City, they now have comfortable, nationally branded options to choose from.
Upcoming Openings and Announced Businesses for 2026
As impressive as 2025 was, the pipeline for 2026 is even more exciting. Multiple new businesses opening in Tooele County 2026 have been announced, permitted, or are already under construction. The range of incoming businesses spans restaurants, retail, hospitality, and heavy industry — a sign that investors and national brands see Tooele County as a growth market worth betting on.
Cafe Zupas and Chick-fil-A: The Rumors Everyone Is Talking About
The two names generating the most buzz right now are Cafe Zupas and Chick-fil-A. While neither company has made an official grand-opening announcement as of this writing, the Cafe Zupas Chick-fil-A Tooele opening rumors have been circulating through community groups, city council discussions, and commercial real estate circles for months. Both brands have been evaluating Tooele County's rapid population growth and rising household incomes.
Cafe Zupas, known for its fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches, would bring a fast-casual dining option that currently requires a drive to Salt Lake County. Chick-fil-A, consistently ranked as one of the most popular fast-food chains in the country, would almost certainly draw lines out the door from day one. If you want to stay updated on new restaurants coming to Tooele Utah, bookmark our events page where we post confirmed openings as they happen.
More Restaurants and Retail on the Horizon
Beyond the headline rumors, several other Tooele new restaurants and Tooele new stores are working their way through the permitting and construction process. The appetite for dining variety in the county is enormous. Residents have long driven to Salt Lake City or South Jordan for sit-down chains and specialty retailers, and every new opening that keeps those dollars local is a win for Tooele economic growth.
Looking for a specific business or wondering what is coming to your neighborhood? Search our directory to find every confirmed business in Tooele County, including new arrivals and businesses currently under construction.
Founders Pointe: Tooele's New Retail and Dining Hub
No conversation about Tooele County development in 2025-2026 is complete without talking about Founders Pointe Tooele. This large-scale commercial development along SR-36 has become the centerpiece of Tooele's retail transformation, attracting an impressive roster of national brands that residents have been requesting for years.
The Founders Pointe Tooele New Businesses List
Here is the Founders Pointe Tooele new businesses list as of early 2026 — and it reads like a wish list that Tooele County shoppers wrote themselves:
- Chipotle Mexican Grill — fast-casual burritos, bowls, and tacos with a drive-through Chipotlane
- Wingstop — crispy chicken wings in a dozen signature flavors
- Chili's Grill & Bar — full-service casual dining with a bar and family-friendly menu
- Hobby Lobby — arts, crafts, home decor, and seasonal merchandise in a massive retail space
- Ulta Beauty — full-service beauty retail with salon services and prestige brands
- Ross Dress for Less — off-price apparel, shoes, and home goods
- TJ Maxx — designer and brand-name fashion at discount prices
- Five Below — trend-right products for teens and tweens, most items $5 or less
- Sierra — outdoor gear, apparel, and footwear from TJX Companies
- Bath & Body Works — fragrances, body care, candles, and home scents
That is ten major national brands in a single development. The significance of this list for Tooele retail openings cannot be overstated. For years, Tooele County residents drove 30 to 45 minutes to access stores like Hobby Lobby, Ulta, or TJ Maxx. Founders Pointe is eliminating that commute and keeping millions of dollars in retail spending inside the county.
What Founders Pointe Means for Tooele's Identity
Beyond convenience, Founders Pointe is reshaping how people think about Tooele City. It signals that national retailers and restaurant chains view Tooele not as a rural outpost of the Wasatch Front but as a legitimate market with the population density and spending power to support major brands. That perception shift attracts even more investment, creating a virtuous cycle of Tooele commercial development that benefits everyone.
If you own a business in Tooele County and want to be part of this growth wave, register your business in our directory to get discovered by the thousands of new residents and visitors arriving every month.
New Hotels and Hospitality in Tooele County
The hospitality sector is a reliable barometer of economic confidence, and new hotels opening in Tooele County Utah tell a clear story: investors believe people want to visit, stay, and spend money here.
The 2025 openings of Home2 Suites and Microtel were just the beginning. County planning documents and commercial real estate filings indicate additional hospitality projects are in various stages of review for 2026 and beyond. The drivers behind this hotel boom include:
- Motorsports and recreation tourism — Utah Motorsports Campus, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and Stansbury Mountain trails draw visitors year-round
- Military and government travel — Tooele Army Depot and Dugway Proving Ground generate consistent demand for overnight accommodations
- Business travel — as more companies set up operations in the county, demand for mid-week business hotel stays is climbing
- Event overflow — major Wasatch Front events in Salt Lake City push travelers to seek affordable alternatives in neighboring counties
For residents, more hotels mean more transient room tax revenue, which funds county services, road maintenance, and community amenities. For business owners, hotel guests represent a captive audience hungry for dining, shopping, and entertainment recommendations. Explore hospitality and tourism businesses on our business search page.
Manufacturing and Industrial Jobs Coming to Tooele
Retail and restaurants get the social media buzz, but the single biggest employment story in Tooele County right now is industrial. Central States Manufacturing, one of the largest metal building and roofing manufacturers in the United States, is bringing a major facility to Tooele County — and with it, approximately 400 jobs.
Central States Manufacturing Tooele Jobs: What to Know
Central States Manufacturing Tooele jobs will span a range of skill levels, from production floor positions to engineering, logistics, quality assurance, and management roles. The company is known for competitive wages, benefits packages, and internal promotion pathways, making this a career-caliber opportunity rather than a seasonal gig.
Four hundred jobs at a single employer is transformative for a county of Tooele's size. To put it in perspective, that is roughly equivalent to the employment impact of Smith's Marketplace — except in manufacturing, where wages tend to be higher and the economic multiplier effect is stronger. Every manufacturing job typically supports an additional 1.5 to 2 jobs in the surrounding service economy through increased local spending.
Why Tooele County Is Attracting Manufacturers
Tooele County's appeal to industrial employers is no accident. The county offers several strategic advantages:
- Available land — large parcels zoned for industrial use at prices well below Salt Lake County
- Transportation access — proximity to I-80, rail lines, and Salt Lake City International Airport
- Workforce availability — a growing population of working-age adults, many with trades experience from military service or existing industrial employers
- Business-friendly environment — Tooele County economic development projects 2026 include incentive programs designed to attract employers who commit to local hiring
The arrival of Central States Manufacturing is likely to accelerate interest from other industrial firms evaluating Utah expansion. Communities like Grantsville and the unincorporated areas along the I-80 corridor could see additional industrial development announcements in the coming months.
Looking for work in Tooele County? Browse the latest openings on our jobs board, where local employers post positions across every industry.
How New Businesses Are Changing Tooele County's Economy
Step back and look at the full picture, and the pattern is unmistakable. Tooele economic growth is not a single headline — it is a broad-based economic transformation happening across multiple sectors simultaneously.
Retail Sales Tax Revenue
Every retail store opening in Tooele 2026 generates sales tax revenue that flows to city and county budgets. Founders Pointe alone, with ten national retailers and restaurants, will produce a significant boost in taxable sales. That revenue funds schools, roads, parks, public safety, and infrastructure improvements. When residents shop locally instead of driving to Salt Lake County, those tax dollars stay here.
Job Creation Across Every Sector
Tooele County jobs are being created not just in retail and food service, but in hospitality, construction, manufacturing, logistics, and professional services. The diversity of new employers means residents have more options to find work that matches their skills and career goals — without commuting over the Oquirrh Mountains.
Population Growth and Housing
New businesses both respond to and drive population growth. As more families move to Tooele County for affordable housing, the demand for shopping, dining, and services increases. That demand attracts businesses, which create jobs, which attract more residents. This feedback loop is why Tooele commercial development has accelerated so dramatically in the past two years.
Quality of Life
There is an intangible but real quality-of-life improvement when residents no longer have to drive 40 minutes for a Hobby Lobby run or a Chili's dinner. Having national brands, diverse restaurants, and modern hotels in your own county changes everyday convenience and community pride. It makes Tooele County feel like the complete, self-sufficient community it is becoming.
What Business Owners Should Do Right Now
If you own or operate a business in Tooele County, this growth wave is your opportunity. More residents, more visitors, and more foot traffic mean more potential customers. Make sure your business is visible where people are looking:
- Register your business in the TooeleCounty.ai directory — it is free to get started and puts you in front of local searchers
- Explore premium listing options to stand out with photos, offers, and priority placement
- Keep your listing updated with current hours, contact information, and promotions to capture new customers as they move in
Tooele County is no longer waiting for growth to arrive — it is here. From the aisles of Smith's Marketplace to the construction sites at Founders Pointe, from the production floor at Central States Manufacturing to the front desks of brand-new hotels, new businesses in Tooele are writing the next chapter of this county's story. And 2026 is shaping up to be the biggest chapter yet.