When other Boise restaurants reopened, this one stayed closed — after 26 nostalgic years

The skates aren’t rolling anymore at Rockies Diner, a nostalgia-filled landmark on the Boise Bench for more than a quarter century.

Weeds are growing tall in front of the building at 3900 W. Overland Road.

Like restaurants nationwide, Rockies closed in March because of the coronavirus. But it has not reopened. The Statesman left three messages for owner Petros “Rockie” Paflias this week through employees at his drive-thru restaurant, Bad Boy Burgers.

Paflias did not return calls.

Over the years, Rockies has generated local buzz for differing reasons.

In 2009, the diner received national attention on the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food,” which visited for a burger-eating challenge.

In 2018, the restaurant was put up for sale; that listing has been taken down.

In 2019, Ada County Sheriff’s Office deputies shut down Rockies Diner and seized the building for nonpayment of unemployment taxes. The restaurant reopened three days later, after Paflias paid $15,000 to the Idaho Department of Labor.

“Rockie Paflias moved to Boise from California in 1994,” the restaurant’s Facebook page says, “to open Rockies Diner, a 50’s-themed diner, featuring old time food, beverages, music and even roller skating waitresses!”

Rockies’ closure was first reported by BoiseDev.

This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 4:00 AM.