Local

7 big changes to the business landscape in Boise area in 2025

Stories by Idaho Statesman journalists, with AI summarization

Idaho faces a wave of retail, service, and institutional closures by 2025, reflecting national industry volatility and local economic stress. Struggling national chains like Big Lots and Forever 21 are reducing their presence, citing bankruptcy pressures and falling sales projections. Longtime local establishments, including Ramen Sho, have announced shutdowns, revealing the fragility of small businesses amid rising costs and operational strain.

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.

The Symposion’s history stretches back to 1975.

NO. 1: ‘PERMANENTLY CLOSED’: UNIQUE BOISE BAR SHUTTERS AFTER 50 YEARS. IS IT REAL THIS TIME?

Long treasured for its isolated location, the neighborhood bar stopped pouring drinks last week. | Published January 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Deeds

A store-closing sale was underway on Nov. 3, 2024, when this photo was taken of the Big Lots store at 7001 W. State St. in Garden City. The store closed by year-end.

NO. 2: DISCOUNT-STORE CHAIN IN BANKRUPTCY CLOSES BOISE-AREA STORE BUT SAYS ANOTHER WILL BE SAVED

Big Lots closed its Garden City store. Other locations in Idaho are slated to remain open. | Published January 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Angela Palermo

Forever 21 will close store located at the Arden Fair mall in Sacramento, CA. By CRAIG KOHLRUSS

NO. 3: ‘EVERYTHING MUST GO:’ SO LONG TO THIS BIG NONANCHOR FASHION STORE AT BOISE TOWNE SQUARE

Signs at the store say everything is 10-40% off. | Published February 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Angela Palermo

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

NO. 4: 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. 5: 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

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. 6: ‘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

Avelo Airlines landed for the first time in Boise, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The new airline will offer flights to Southern California among others. By Darin Oswald

NO. 7: AVELO AIRLINES TO END BOISE FLIGHTS WITH NEW DEAL FOR DEPORTATIONS UNDER TRUMP

“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement. | Published April 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kevin Fixler

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.