Boise restaurant closes after three decades. Opening next: ‘A breath of fresh air.’

When the Sunrise Cafe closed three months ago near the intersection of Glenwood and State streets, it was supposed to be temporary — a pause during the coronavirus pandemic.

Not anymore.

The family-style diner at 7135 W. State St. in Boise has been shuttered permanently, owner Boomer Godsill says. An entirely new restaurant will launch in that building within the next several weeks, Godsill says. He plans to share details about the concept in the near future.

“With what’s going on in that Glenwood area,” Godsill says, “this brand that we’ve been working on for a little bit seems like it’s going to match up perfectly and will be a breath of fresh air for that area.”

Founded in 1988, the locally owned Sunrise Cafe has five open locations in the Treasure Valley. The restaurant on State Street had operated since the early 1990s, Godsill says. But after the initial pandemic shutdown last spring, it never fully recovered. Godsill reopened it around the end of summer, then closed it yet again Dec. 6, planning to revive it in March or April 2021.

Plans changed.

“The COVID thing did not help,” Godsill says. “Sunrise is built on our loyal regulars, and it took a long time to build that up. With everything that’s happened with COVID, like it or not, we have lost some to other businesses.”

Former regulars at the State Street location have even become regulars at other Sunrise Cafes, he added.

A local chain, the Sunrise Cafe continues to serve breakfast and lunch at 6767 W. Fairview Ave. and 4218 W. Overland Road in Boise; at 805 W. Main St. and 2032 E. Overland Road in Meridian; and in Middleton at 200 E. Main St.