The Heavy Metal Shop is an independent record and merchandise store located at 156 East 900 South in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established in 1987 by Kevin Kirk and his wife Angie, the business originally opened in the suburb of Sandy before relocating to the Sugar House neighbourhood in 1989. Kirk had previously operated a general record shop called CD World, but gradually decided to concentrate on the heavier music he personally enjoyed, particularly bands such as Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth. The Heavy Metal Shop subsequently moved several times, including a 22-year period at 63 Exchange Place in downtown Salt Lake City. In 2023, the store relocated to its present address in the Maven district, opposite Randy’s Records.

Although the shop originally concentrated on records, CDs and cassettes, its own merchandise gradually became an important part of the business. Its distinctive black-and-white logo, featuring half of a human skull beneath Gothic lettering, was designed by a customer in the late 1980s. The design became particularly recognisable after musicians began wearing the shop’s T-shirts and hoodies. Tom Araya and Jeff Hanneman of Slayer were among its most prominent supporters, while members of Megadeth, Exodus, Alice in Chains, Metal Church and Dark Angel have also worn the merchandise. Alice Cooper has appeared wearing the shop’s logo, and a Heavy Metal Shop shirt can even be seen in the Adam Sandler film “Little Nicky” (2000). The store adopted the slogan “Peddlin’ Evil Since 1987”, which appears on much of its merchandise.

The Heavy Metal Shop has also hosted numerous concerts, acoustic performances and signing sessions throughout its history. Among the bands that have appeared at the shop are Slayer, Dark Angel, Testament, Corrosion of Conformity, Fight, Prong, System of a Down, Deftones and Lamb of God. One particularly memorable Slayer appearance attracted such a large crowd that police were called to control the gathering outside. Tom Araya reportedly remained at the store until the early hours of the morning, refusing to leave before everyone waiting in line had received an autograph.

The present shop retains much of the character of its earlier locations, with walls covered in band photographs, posters, memorabilia and merchandise. T-shirts, hoodies, patches, records, stickers, hats and various accessories fill the relatively small premises, alongside skull decorations and unusual collectibles. An Alice Cooper “Welcome to My Nightmare” carpet lies near the entrance, while an old sign directing fans to a Slayer signing session has been preserved among the memorabilia. A small performance area is situated behind the counter, continuing the tradition of occasional intimate concerts. Despite several relocations and changes in the music industry, The Heavy Metal Shop has remained under Kevin Kirk’s ownership for nearly four decades.

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ADDRESS:
156 E 900 S #103, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA

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