After Utah chain shrinks to one store in Idaho, new Eagle coffee lounge to open
When Provo-based chain Sodalicious closed its Eagle location months ago, it created a couple of natural questions:
1) Will the dirty-soda shop trend be sustainable over the long term outside of Utah?
2) What will go into the vacated building at 94 N. Fisher Park Way?
The jury’s still out on the first head-scratcher. In Idaho, Sodalicious has dwindled to a single store at 4698 N. Linder Road in Meridian. But Swig and also Fiiz — similar Utah-based chains — still operate multiple Treasure Valley stores. And this “fad” has been going on for several years now.
As for the second question? Feel free to get it answered personally.
Locally owned Salt & Light Coffee Lounge will celebrate its grand opening Saturday. Enlisting the help of adoring content creators on social media, the new local brand has been showing off how it has transformed the former Sodalicious building into a java joint with “lounge” vibes.
Salt & Light promises organic and locally roasted coffee, organic housemade syrups, seed oil-, preservative- and dye-free pastries, a drive-thru, an outdoor patio and — now we’re talkin’ — beer and wine.
The beer and wine won’t be available right away. Same for charcuterie, which also is planned. Those are all “coming soon” (as are later evening hours). But it’s hard to be grumpy about the delay. Not when you’ll encounter a “loving staff who’s excited to serve you,” as Salt & Light says.
The new Eagle hangout is just the latest in what has been a run of coffee-shop news in recent days.
In downtown Boise, longtime coffee and bagel destination Alia’s Coffee House announced that it will close at the end of August.
And in Southeast Boise, locally owned Coffee With a Twist just took over the former Lulu’s Pizza spot at 2475 S. Apple St. The twist is “a unique pastry baked in-house daily (our take on a French Twist),” the local business explained in a city permit application.
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 11:59 AM.