Boise bar famous for ‘no lawyers’ was closed, sold and reopened months ago. Now this?

For decades, the Crescent “No Lawyers” Bar and Grill was a familiar name to Boise drinkers.

But after its longtime owners closed the sports pub in March of 2021, it was remodeled and reinvented under new ownership. The Crescent began a fresh chapter nine months later as Crescent Public House, offering “upscale pub fare with a foodie twist.”

Four months later? It’s on the block again.

Crescent Public House has been put up for sale or lease. It’s unclear from the listing whether only the business is for sale, or if the 8,594-square-foot building might also be on the table. No asking price is set. A yearly lease rate of $18 per square foot is provided. The listing includes photos and the restaurant’s address, 5500 W. Franklin Road, but does not identify the name of the business.

In the meantime, Crescent Public House remains open, serving customers on the Boise Bench.

Furniture, fixtures and equipment can be part of the deal, according to the listing, and a liquor license is available. A plot plan shows Crescent Public House’s building, its parking lot, and two still-to-be-built apartment complexes behind it.

The three-story apartments are part of a development plan from the owners, who are based in Spokane. They bought the entire 2.47-acre lot. Last year, co-owner Matt Goodwin said they also intended to open a brunch restaurant in a separate part of the Crescent Public House building in 2022.

A call and messages to Goodwin and co-owner Jordan Tampien were not immediately returned. NAI Select, the listing brokerage, declined to comment.

Opened in 1965 at 413 N. Orchard St. (now Campos Market), the original Crescent Bar moved to its prominent spot on Franklin Road in 2003. The locally famous “No Lawyers” theme started in 1984 after its owners got into a legal fight with a neighbor — who was an attorney — over a swimming pool they wanted to build at their home. The tiff generated unexpected attention and lucrative publicity for the bar.

Soon, the Crescent began selling “No lawyers” shirts, hats and menu items.

The rest is history. Even though the future of the Crescent’s latest incarnation remains to be seen.

This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 3:03 PM.