My Heartfelt Goodbye To The Stagecoach Inn

Saying goodbye to a Boise Icon.

The Stagecoach Inn opened its doors in 1959 and is a landmark in the Treasure Valley. It is the oldest family operated restaurant in the Boise area. It is a part of the fabric of Boise.

For over 50 years, the Stagecoach Inn on Chinden has been a destination for Boise’s elite. Serving up some of the finest home cooked meals money can buy. From their steaks, to their bar prawns (which are the size of your hand), to their service, the Stagecoach is one of a kind. It is even rumored that the idea for “Micron” was agreed upon inside of the walls of the Stagecoach. Many of Boise’s well known figures such as J.R. Simplot were also regulars of the establishment.

They say the only constant in life is change, and growing up in Boise, I’ve seen a lot of it. Many of Boise’s cherished landmarks have closed and have been forgotten. This breaks my heart, because all of these places are a part of who I am. The Stagecoach is one of those places. I have celebrated many of my personal successes by having dinner with my family at the Stagecoach. From Birthdays, to graduation, to my dad beating cancer, the Stagecoach is where we went. My Grandpa used to take my Grandma on dates there. It’s a place where great memories have been made, and a place that feels like home.  Many of the waitresses that work there have been there for over 20 years.

Last night, My mom and I decided to go the Stagecoach for dinner to pay homage one last time. We showed up at 4:30pm only to be told that there was an hour wait. Knowing that it was worth the wait, we decided to stay. As we stood in the waiting area in front of the restaurant, more people continued to pile in. As we began to feel more and more like sardines, the wait kept increasing….one hour…two hours….three hours. We decided to kill some time by getting a few drinks at the bar. As I was standing there, I was greeted with a big hug by my favorite waitress Bruna. If you’ve been to the Stagecoach, you know Bruna. She hugged me and said “This Sucks”.  I was just dumbfounded. I tried to speak, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. I was just struck with overwhelming sadness. Bruna had been there for over 22 years and was told on Wednesday that they were closing. She started to cry, and so did I. This was our official goodbye. In fact, I’m crying while writing this because as Bruna said, “This Sucks.”

After about an hour and a half we were seated at our table. I looked at my mom and said, “This doesn’t feel real.” I wanted to be able to do something about it, but knew that there was nothing I could do. We were seated between two elderly couples, and they had been coming to the Stagecoach for years. We were sharing stories, and memories that we all had of coming there. One of them was the son of the loan officer from First National, that gave the original owner “Willie” the loan to build the Stagecoach. He said that he was there the first day that they opened back in 1959. His mother went there every Thursday, and was given a free meal until she passed away. I was great to hear everyone telling their stories, and sharing what the Stagecoach meant to them.

My mom ordered the prime rib, and I went with the T-bone, Both great choices. As I sat there looking at this amazing steak in front of me, I became sick to my stomach. I didn’t want to eat it knowing that it would be the last time I would ever have dinner at one of my favorite places. I was struck with overwhelming sadness, and as I looked around the room I could tell that I wasn’t the only one. One old man said, “ When I start up the car, I don’t even have to drive. It just automatically drives to the Stagecoach.”

So, this is my heart felt goodbye. I want to thank everyone at the Stagecoach for always making my family and I feel so welcome and appreciated.

I want to thank Bruna for always greeting me with a hug and a smile. The Stagecoach Inn is an icon in the Treasure Valley, and if walls could talk, I’m sure it would tell an amazing story. There will never be a place quite like it, and I am truly sad to see it go. If I could, I would buy it and keep it open. Thanks for the memories!