Demolition crew takes down Boise building that served subs for four decades

Two buildings that formerly housed an iconic Boise sandwich shop and a nail salon were torn down this week on Broadway Avenue.

Cobby’s and L.A. Nails formerly operated from the buildings located next to each other at 1030 and 1032 Broadway.

A letter from Magnum Demolition filed with the city of Boise says the ground where the buildings stood “will be covered with gravel to stabilize the site until new construction begins.”

James Kissler, the owner of the property and CEO of Norco Inc., said it may take a year to 18 months before a new building is built. He said he expects a restaurant or other business serving the neighborhood and the nearby Boise State University campus will end up there.

Cobby’s served sandwiches from the Broadway store from 1978 until late January.

“Cobby’s served families, workers, Boise State students — anyone craving a filling, quality sub loaded with meat and cheese,” Statesman columnist Michael Deeds wrote in February. “Soaked with vinegar. Piled with pepperoncinis. Not to mention a free apple and all the teensy bags of self-serve chips you could grab without feeling like a total thief.”

It was the original Cobby’s. Two others still operate at 6899 W. Overland Road in Boise and 4348 Chinden Blvd. in Garden City. L.A. Nails has a salon at 8137 W. Fairview Ave.

This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 2:01 PM.