Business growing, this Boise bakery was ‘forced’ to close. Another will shutter soon too
Boise’s bakery scene suddenly feels a bit, well, battered.
Poppy Seed Bakery and Cafe recently shut down unexpectedly at 3910 W. Hill Road.
And Amaru Confections, 217 S. Roosevelt St., plans to close Oct. 26.
Both locally owned brands have been in business for years.
Poppy Seed changes
Describing the situation as unfortunate in a note on its website, Poppy Seed says it was “forced to close ... abruptly.” Co-owner Leanne Meade isn’t able to elaborate, she said in a phone interview.
“I will say that it was due to no fault of our own,” she added. “... It was not a decision we wanted to make, and it was not due to bad business or anything.”
Poppy Seed had operated in the spot since 2016, albeit under different ownership. (Before that, the space was Owl Tree Bakery and Sol Bakery.)
The Hill Road bakery’s demise happened as Poppy Seed was launching a third location at the Warehouse Food Hall, 370 S. 8th St., in downtown Boise. Poppy Seed also runs a campus operation at Boise State’s Micron Business and Economics Building.
Meade said she’s already hunting for a new space to replace the shuttered Hill Road bakery. And she has further expansion goals for Poppy Seed’s future.
In the meantime, Meade is enjoying the Warehouse Food Hall, she said.
“It’s been very nice, and we’re happy to be here, and business is going great,” she said. “Business is going great at the college. And business had been going great at Hill, as well. It had actually been growing, and we were happy.”
Amaru: ‘next chapter’
Amaru Confections has been a longtime familiar spot for wedding and specialty cakes, cupcakes and other treats on the Boise Bench.
But Kathie Luna posted on Instagram that it was time for a change. She’s spent a decade at Amaru — first working there, then buying the bakery.
“This decision comes as we embrace new opportunities and take a well-deserved break from our beloved bakery,” she wrote, “a place that has brought us so much joy and fulfillment.”
In an accompanying video, she thanked customers and promised they hadn’t tasted the last of her exceptional cakes.
“This isn’t the end of the story for Amaru,” Luna said. “While I am taking a break to focus on myself and spend more time with family and friends, I will be back to continue baking some delicious treats for you all in the next chapter of Amaru.”