This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The LDS Church opened the doors Thursday to its new 570,000-square-foot Bishops' Central Storehouse in west Salt Lake City.

The new storehouse, which sits on a nearly 36-acre site at 5405 W. 300 South, will include administrative offices, bulk/rack storage and refrigeration areas. It also will house support facilities for the church's trucking fleet.

The idea of a bishops' storehouse began in the 19th century, when many Mormons shared their excess goods with other members. Today, these storehouses are established across the globe to distribute food and other commodities to the poor and needy who have been referred to the program by an LDS bishop.

The day-to-day operations of a bishops' storehouse are managed by missionaries, who are full-time volunteers.

The Salt Lake Tribune