By james art A major restaurant, bar and entertainment destination will close after three years in downtown Boise.
House of Western, 610 W. Idaho St., closes late Saturday night.
“We’ll miss you Boyce!” he wrote on social media.
Launched in 2021 as Western Proper, the 10,500-square-foot space was rebranded last year as House of Western. In its last shake-up in July, it split into three concepts. “It’s so big,” owner Kari Pruitt told the Idaho Statesman, “that a concept doesn’t necessarily fit.”
But the repair was not enough. A lack of business forced the decision to close, Prewitt said in a phone interview Thursday.
“I don’t know anybody that isn’t down double-digits from last year downtown,” he said. “And I know a lot of people who are down 30%. The fact is, if you want local restaurants to survive downtown, we need to go to them more often.
All three concepts inside the space close. Due West, a fine dining restaurant, greets diners on the left as they enter. The National, bistro and bar, is on the right. In the back, House of Western offers a fun, casual experience with mini bowling alleys, arcade games, TVs and a menu focused on sports pub fare.
Before opening as Western Proper, the space had been vacant since restaurant chain The Old Spaghetti Factory closed there in 2013.
House of Western is a subsidiary of Western Collective, 111 W. 33rd St., a brewery and taproom that continues to operate in Garden City.
Prewitt said House of Western’s demise was not “for lack of trying.”
“We tried for more space downtown and the fact is we couldn’t make the numbers work. We are proud of the effort we put in and appreciate everyone’s support and hope everyone will come out on Saturday and support us one last time.
“We are excited to retain the Western Collective Brewery,” he added, “and continue to be seen as one of the best breweries and venues to visit in the Valley.”