Business

Five Boise businesses and agencies adapt to closures and operational challenges in 2025

Stories by Idaho Statesman journalists, with AI summarization

Editor's note: This curation was corrected to remove a story that contained outdated information about Clairvoyant Brewing Co.

Boise’s business climate is affected in 2025 as a wave of closures signals pressure from both local operational hurdles and broader economic dynamics. Small businesses cite staffing issues and lease challenges as primary obstacles, while larger entities like Kohl’s shutter stores amid national restructuring efforts. The collapse of the Albertsons-Kroger merger triggers executive turnover and job cuts.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

This rice pork belly bowl with scallions and pickled ginger was served at Ramen Sho in Boise. By Kyle Green

NO. 1: NOW CLOSING? BOISE’S 1ST OF ITS KIND, THIS RESTAURANT MOVED TO MERIDIAN AND IS ‘AMAZING’

“We hope to open our doors again,” the restaurant wrote on social media, “should circumstances allow.” | Published March 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Deeds

Idahoans hungry for “premium craft chicken” have a new restaurant to visit in Meridian.

NO. 2: BOISE WAS ‘TOO MUCH,’ SO THIS CHAIN FLED TO MERIDIAN. MONTHS LATER, ITS RESTAURANT CLOSED

It lasted less than a year. | Published March 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Deeds

Offices for the Federal Highway Administration in the Lake Harbor Business Center in Boise, one of two properties in Boise targeted to be cancelled by DOGE. By Darin Oswald

NO. 3: WILL DOGE CLOSE MORE FEDERAL OFFICES IN IDAHO? THESE 4 LEASES ARE SLATED TO BE TERMINATED

The leases would be canceled between June and September. | Published March 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Angela Palermo

Guru Donuts offers unique items such as the Healthy Homer, which it describes as “a gluten-friendly Idaho potato doughnut topped with house-made pink vanilla glaze and finished with rainbow sprinkles.”

NO. 4: ‘SO SAD!’ THIS LOCAL DOUGHNUT SHOP CLOSED IN EAGLE. NOW THERE’S ONE LEFT — IN BOISE

The Eagle Road location had been open since 2020. | Published March 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Deeds

The new Lemon Tree Co. shares space with The STIL ice cream shop at Harris Ranch. By Michael Deeds

NO. 5: IN ‘GUT-WRENCHING’ DECISION, BOISE RESTAURANT CLOSES. HERE’S THE ‘BIGGEST ISSUE’

“I just got to the point of, ‘Do I keep doing this?,’ ” the co-owner said. | Published April 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Deeds

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.