From left, Chris Sparrer-Baer, Charles Sparrer, Jan Sparrer and Rob Sparrer behind the counter at the family’s first McDonald’s restaurant on 3500 South in West Valley. (Tom Haraldsen/City Journals)
Shortly after Charles and Jan Sparrer moved to Utah from Southern California in 1975, they decided to open a McDonald’s restaurant on 3500 South in what was then called Granger (and now West Valley City). The road wasn’t heavily traveled and it didn’t have a stoplight at that point.
This month, the Sparrers, along with their daughter and son, and other family members, celebrated the 50th anniversary of that store, and the start of their McDonald’s restaurant ownerships in Utah…