For Sandy Arrieta, a spot at the Utah State Fair looked like a chance to bring in customers and help her family’s restaurant business. Instead, the Arempas owner said it cost her $1,500, which she had to borrow.
Arrieta opened Arempas in 2019, and her family worked to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and grow the business. But she said they had to close three locations last year.
That made an email offering Arempas a spot at the 2026 Utah State Fair especially appealing…