New businesses bring fresh energy to Junction Commons this fall

PARK CITY, Utah — Junction Commons is preparing for a busy fall, and two locally owned businesses are leading the way. Tosh’s Ramen and Fourth Space Studios are both opening new locations, bringing homegrown concepts to a shopping center that’s also welcomed a handful of national retailers this fall, including Nordstrom Rack and Pandora.

A ramen spot for everyone

Max Peck and his wife, Annie, both 33, own Tosh’s Ramen in Holladay and Woodbine Food Hall and brought their third location to Junction Commons, which opened this Oct. 19.

Peck grew up in Mill Creek and attended Olympus High School, and Annie, who is from Thailand, took over the Holladay restaurant from its founder, Toshio Sekikawa, five years ago, while working in the kitchen at Toshio’s State Street and Holladay locations. Sekikawa opened the original State Street location nearly 20 years ago, spent two months training the couple on his recipes before the transition, ultimately retiring and selling.

Sekikawa walked Max and Annie through every recipe on the menu, along with the techniques he had developed over nearly two decades running the restaurant.

“I’ve tried hard to not deviate from anything that isn’t his, while still improving quality, if possible, in any areas,” Peck said.

The couple grew sales at the Holladay location by about 50% in their first year, working 70-hour weeks. Annie now serves as head chef, while Max said he handles more of the front-facing and business side.

“She’s the hardest-working person I’ve ever met,” he said. “I can’t keep up with her at all.”

Peck said the idea to open in Park City grew out of his friendship with Mike Harrison, owner of the now-closed Hana Ramen. The pair even traveled to Japan together to learn more about ramen techniques and traditions.

“I’ve always wanted to have a ramen spot in Park City,” he said. “I think ramen after skiing or snowboarding is the greatest food in the world.”

The new location leans into lunch service and goes beyond ramen with plans for bento boxes, rice dishes, and desserts.

“Our ramen is the ramen that anyone can enjoy from any demographic or group,” Max Peck said. “I see all walks of life coming in to enjoy our ramen, from teenagers to older couples.”

Fourth Space brings a new boutique fitness concept

Fourth Space Studios, from Kendall Banks and Madeleine Vargas, is set to anchor another part of Junction Commons’ local lineup this November.

Banks and Vargas first met as fellow fitness instructors and quickly became friends, taking each other’s classes and bonding over their shared love of movement.

That friendship, paired with a shared entrepreneurial spirit, soon evolved into a business idea. Vargas had already founded her own breathwork business, Breathe to the Beat, while Banks had long wanted to build something of her own. Together, they traveled to studios in other cities, including New York, drawing inspiration before ultimately creating their own concept from the ground up.

Both women have deep roots in Park City and a shared love for what makes the community so special: its genuine sense of connection, its commitment to supporting local businesses, and the way an active lifestyle is part of its DNA. Vargas and Banks wanted Fourth Space to feel like an extension of that community, a place to move, connect and feel at home. After exploring several locations, they landed on Junction Commons, drawn to its welcoming setting, convenient parking and roughly 2,700-square-foot space.

Fourth Space will offer mat-based fitness classes spanning Pilates, sculpt, yoga and strength, with unique props and equipment designed to complement each format. But for Vargas and Banks, the experience goes beyond the workout itself.

“We really believe that movement should be joyful, and it can be,” Vargas said. “We love music. We love community, and we love how movement brings people together.”

The studio has hired founding instructors after hosting trainings and auditions throughout the summer, aiming for each to bring their individuality rather than replicate the founders.

“We want everybody to shine and bring their own personalities and energy,” Banks said. “We really believe that when teachers are passionate about what they do, that energy is contagious, and our students feel it.”

The experience will extend beyond the studio room, with premium locker rooms and showers, fuel items and a curated merchandise area designed to create what Vargas describes as a “luxury premium boutique experience.”

“Junction Commons is definitely prioritizing local, which our community appreciates,” Vargas said. “We invite the community to come and move with us!”

For more information about Fourth Space’s schedule and their founding memberships, check out: https://fourthspacestudios.com/.

Also arriving this fall

Junction Commons is also welcoming several national retailers over the next couple of months. Nordstrom Rack held a preview party Oct. 20 and a grand opening Oct. 22, marking the brand’s first Wasatch Back location. Pandora opened Oct. 2. Adidas is closed for a brief renovation but will reopen before Black Friday, and Brooks Brothers and Zumiez have also relocated to new spaces within the property.

Shoppers looking to stock up for Halloween will have a couple of options at Junction Commons this year. Spirit Halloween has returned to the property for its third season, offering seasonal costumes and decor through Oct. 31. Just across the parking lot, the Christian Center of Park City also carries a selection of Halloween costumes, giving shoppers in the upper lot another stop for the holiday.