Buzz About Boise: March 2020

With spring just kicking off and Boise's continued rapid growth - it can be hard to keep track of everything going on across the valley. Here's our monthly recap designed to highlight "all the buzz about Boise". Perfect for life-long Boiseans, newcomers, potential re-locators, and out-of-state investors alike - there is something for everyone.  

1,000 New Jobs Coming to Meridian
Source: KIVI TV

According to this news report, Valor Global recently acquired Pro Service Boise. The Arizona-based corporation pans to expand its technical, operations, and customer experience center in Meridian. The article quotes Clark Krause of the Boise Valley Economic Partnership as saying that the company "is an important addition to our growing technology and customer care sector, creating an estimated economic impact of more than $10 million in the first year alone. The company will generate more than $50 million in new payroll over the next five years, giving an important boost to small businesses, restaurants, housing and other amenities in downtown and beyond.”  For more information, read the full article here.

The 10 Best Cities in the U.S. to Move to Right Now
Source: CurbedIt's a simple fact, choosing where we live is one of the most personal, stressful, and meaningful choices we ever make. When it comes to having a city that rates high on the "livablity" meter a plethora of diverse factors play a part: walkability, park access, diversity, housing costs, job opportunities, etc. In this article, which identifies 10 of our country's top cities, Boise is highlighted. "Boasting a beautiful setting—nestled in the high desert, bisected by the Boise River, and green enough to be called the City of Trees—Idaho’s largest city doesn’t need anything, or anybody, to sell itself." Read the full article here.

Downtown Boise is Booming: How Downtown Boise's Growth is Feeding More Developments

It's no secret that downtown Boise is BOOMING! As noted in this article, "Construction cranes and new shops in downtown Boise are as common as the City of Trees making another obscure top 10 rankings list". Some wonder how Boise has managed such consistent growth over the past few years years - this article explores this - and identifies the overwhelming (and ever-growing) love for the downtown area as being a key stabilizer.

Best U.S. State Capitals for Renters
Source: RentCafe Blog

This article examines how our nation's state capitals compare for home renters. With Boise's second-largest renter share and second-lowest crime rate (as well as cool bike trails and a "modern-yet-quaint" vibe), Boise is identified as being among the top three state capitals to rent a home in (#2). For all the details (and to see what other capitals made the list) check out the full article here. 
Boise Adding Jobs and Wages are Rising - But There are Challenges
Source: Boise Dev

Citing a recent Brookings report, this article highlights Boise's job and wage growth. According to the article, when you look at year-over-year growth in large metros, Boise ranks number three (only Wichita, Kansas and Orem-Provo, Utah grew at faster rates). Thankfully this growth in population has aligned with an increase in jobs. In a 1-year timeframe, Boise saw a 4.9% jump in jobs – which well outpaced both the U.S. average and that of similarly-sized cities. Identified challenges Boise is (and will continue) to encounter include a significant lack of "young firms" and an increase in relative income poverty rate. To learn more, check out the full article here.  

Boise, Idaho One of the Best Places for Millenials to Live in the U.S.
Source: Insider

Here's a colorful take on what it's like to visit our booming metro. The article highlights various murals, craft breweries, swanky bars, trendy restaurants, quirky shops, etc. and even provides some interesting tidbits (did you know that 53.2% of people living in the Downtown area are under the age of 35!?). The author describes her time in Boise saying "I slept in a giant potato, ate an Ice Cream Potato, explored Idaho wine country, and generally enjoyed very good and inexpensive food. But I think a lot of what makes Boise such an attractive spot for millennials is its 8th Street/Downtown neighborhood — no wonder TripAdvisor named it one of the coolest hipster neighborhoods in the US in 2018." Regardless of the emotions that the term "millennial" instills in you, it's an interesting article filled that provides one outsider's take on our booming community.


Boise Restaurants - James Beard Nominations
Source: New York Grub Street

Special kudos go out to a couple hometown favorites who recently received James Beard nominations. Sarah Kelly at Petite 4 and Moshit Mizrachi-Gabbitas at Janjou Pâtisserie. We all (along with our tastebuds) thank you! Well done, and well deserved.

Boise the Next Hotspot for Wine Lovers
Source: Livability

"The wine scene in Boise is bold, innovative, unpretentious and totally delicious." It's no secret that Idaho's wine scene has exploded in recent years. As noted in this article, Boise offers an interesting number of benefits for adventurous first-time winemakers such as relatively affordable rent, low cost of living, and a market that isn’t yet saturated. Check out this robust article to learn more about Boise's up and coming (and also already established) wineries.

What's Happening In and Around Boise: Calendar of Events
Source: Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau

With spring just kicking off, Treasure Valley residents (both new and old) are gearing up for spring! Be sure to check out this great calendar to ensure you don't miss any of the fantastic markets, concerts, events, expos, etc. that are happening.