Karim Bakery

Address: 2575 State Street

Telephone: 385-542-9770

Website: instagram.com/karimbakery

District: South Salt Lake

 

“I came here in 2013 as a refugee because I wanted a future for my kids. My country wasn’t safe. The war - everything - made it impossible to stay.” Owning Karim Bakery was never part of Sarah Abduljabbar’s plan, but life has a way of leading people down unexpected paths.

Sarah arrived in the U.S. from Iraq with her husband who worked in security for the American military. Once in Salt Lake City, she found herself raising four children alone. She was divorced in 2015. With no financial support, she worked multiple jobs - at a Middle Eastern grocery store, at Walmart, even doing DoorDash - anything to provide for her family. “I worked two jobs for years, saving money little by little, until I was able to buy this place.”

Karim Bakery was originally opened in 2017 by its previous owner who brought in the specialty oven and bread-making machine from Lebanon - the only one of its kind in Utah. When Sarah took over in 2023, she had just a month to learn everything from him before he retired. “I picked it up fast. I had experience in food, and I knew I had to make it work.” Sarah's entire family was in the restaurant business back in Iraq. "I have six brothers and, at one point or another, each of them owned a restaurant."

Now, she spends long hours baking, preparing fresh Middle Eastern breads, savory pies, and sweets that have become local favorites. The menu includes beef, spinach and cheese pies, chicken shawarma, za’atar flatbreads, baklava, and knafeh - a delicate, syrup-soaked pastry filled with cheese, and, of course, her pita. “Americans love my bread,” she says with a smile. “Restaurants buy it for their sandwiches, and during Ramadan, people come from all over.”

Beyond the baked goods, Karim Bakery also serves as a small market, carrying Middle Eastern groceries: tahini, olive oil, Arabic candies, dates, and specialty items imported from Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. Sarah purchases everything through a supplier in California, ensuring that her customers can find a taste of home.

Sarah still feels the challenges of running a business alone every day. “I need more help, more employees. I want to add falafel, maybe expand a little into a proper restaurant, but it’s expensive.” Presently, the shop has four tables set up so that customers can sit and enjoy whatever they order from the front counter. She stays late most nights while her eldest daughter steps up at home, cooking for her younger siblings and making sure everything runs smoothly. 

Though the work is relentless, Sarah says she would not trade it for anything. “This was my dream - not just to own a bakery, but to give my kids a better life. I am here alone with them, no family, but I support them. That’s what matters.”