In ‘gut-wrenching’ decision, Boise restaurant closes. Here’s the ‘biggest issue’
When Lemon Tree Co. expanded to East Boise in 2022 to share a space with The STIL ice cream shop, enthusiasm flowed abundantly.
At the time, Kasey Allen, co-owner of The STIL, said Lemon Tree Co.’s innovative approach to sandwiches made joining forces at Harris Ranch a “win-win.”
But three years later, the dream has ended.
Lemon Tree Co. recently closed its section of the restaurant at 3724 S. Eckert Road. Co-owner Jasson Parra pulled the plug on March 21, he said in a phone interview.
The STIL remains open. So does Lemon Tree’s downtown sandwich shop at 224 N. 10th St., and a newly rebranded cafe, The Grove by Lemon Tree Co., at 404 E. Parkcenter Blvd.
Staffing issues
The East Boise closure was caused by a combination of things, Parra said. But the main reason? “It’s really hard to staff there,” he said. “... That was the biggest issue.”
Parra recently transformed Lemon Tree’s Parkcenter location into a cafe that’s open all day — The Grove by Lemon Tree Co. So he wasn’t able to spend as much time at the Harris Ranch restaurant, he said.
The staffing problems grew so constant that Lemon Tree Co. had been forced to close the location for a week or two at a time, every month, since December.
Parra said he feels bad about abandoning the shared situation with The STIL. But the writing was on the wall.
“Going into three months of having to close because we couldn’t staff it, I just got to the point of, ‘Do I keep doing this? ... Or do I just focus on the two locations that are doing well?’ That, ultimately, became the deciding factor. Parkcenter’s doing awesome.”
The Grove, brunch
Serving “artisan” sandwiches — “with a twist” — Lemon Tree’s original downtown shop is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Grove by Lemon Tree Co. is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.
Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. But starting in May, The Grove plans to open for brunch at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Parra said.
Parra is optimistic about his downtown shop and the Parkcenter cafe. But it doesn’t erase the sting of shuttering at Harris Ranch.
“We have no problem staffing the other locations,” he said. “It is, kind of, what it is. It’s gut-wrenching, and we put (in) a lot of time and effort and blood, sweat and tears. It’s a hard pill to swallow as far as that’s concerned.”