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A new mural that was unveiled in a Saturday ceremony highlights Salt Lake City's culture, while encouraging the community to shop small.

The 13-by-70-foot artwork at 18 E. 800 South includes the LDS Temple, a giraffe representing Hogle Zoo, a book in recognition of libraries and a basketball as a nod to sports teams — as well as taffy, a cupcake, a camera, picture frames, a bus and a taco in honor of local independent businesses.

"I wanted to represent the best of Salt Lake City," Utah artist Roger Whiting said.

The ceremony was the kick-off of this year's Small Business Saturday, an annual nationwide event that encourages shoppers to support local businesses, and Local First Utah's Shift Your Spending Week.

During Shift Your Spending Week, which began on Black Friday and runs through Dec. 5, shoppers are asked to spend at least 10 percent of their holiday shopping dollars at local establishments.

Kristen Lavelett, Local First Utah executive director, said shopping locally leaves more money in the state than shopping at chain stores. She estimated an additional $108 million would stay in Utah if every household in the state did the 10 percent shift for one month.

American Express, which established Small Business Saturday in 2010, contracted with Whiting to create the mural. He spotted his canvas, the side of a building, while eating a taco bought from a nearby street vendor. (The taco made it into the mural).

After getting the building owner's permission, Whiting worked with 13 young artists — former students he had tutored and their siblings — to design and paint the mural. They completed the work in three weeks.

The images were a nod to both specific merchants and general categories of businesses. They included a superhero dragon to represent the burgeoning costume play, or cosplay, culture in Salt Lake City.

Travis Tanner, owner of Tanner Frames, a business in the building, said he's happy with the mural.

"It think it'll be a nice marker for the neighborhood," he added.

Twitter: PamelaMansonSLC