This chain made a splash in Boise 25 years ago. Now its first restaurant here has closed

When Carl’s Jr. made its Treasure Valley debut a quarter-century ago, it swung for the fences.

The Boise franchisee unveiled plans to launch three locations in Idaho’s capital city, plus one each in Meridian and Nampa, according to Idaho Statesman archives.

This was big news. Kenny Rogers Roasters — remember that brand? — even moved from its State Street location to share the building with Boise’s first Carl’s Jr., which opened in 1999.

But now that original location is history. The standalone Carl’s Jr. at 226 S. Broadway Ave. (a french fry’s toss away from Chick-fil-A) recently closed. Exterior signage has been removed. Workers are revamping the building.

Known for charbroiled burgers, chicken, fries and shakes, Carl’s Jr. is one of the heavy hitters of fast-food chains in the United States. The closure on Broadway Avenue follows the demise last year of another longtime Carl’s Jr. at 4999 W. Glenwood St.

But if you’re craving Carl’s, there are still plenty of options. The chain operates three remaining locations in Boise, plus more in Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell.

“Founded in 1941, Carl’s Jr. has been a West Coast favorite for over 80 years ...” according to its website. “Today, we have more than 1,000 locations across the U.S. and serve 28 countries worldwide.”

This story was originally published April 23, 2024 at 12:56 PM.

Michael Deeds

Idaho Statesman

208-377-6407

Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane.