Satchel’s Grill has announced that it will close its doors at the end of the week, the latest in a series of downtown Boise restaurant closings this year.
Owner Dominic DeLaquil said business has been down between 15 and 40 percent at various times since last spring, which has made it impossible to pay off ongoing debt.
“We’ve been sort of self-funded from the beginning and have had to piece together the funding from a variety of sources,” he said. “Coming up on the end of summer, we just don’t have the capital reserves to make it through another winter. We would like to continue. We just don’t have the money.”
DeLaquil opened Satchel’s at 705 W. Bannock St., across from the state capitol in a building set off from the street, in 2003.
He said the restaurant rode out slow winters with heavy summer traffic, boosted by live music and movie screenings on the patio.
Without a loan from a bank or an established financial investor, DeLaquil and his family pulled together loans from numerous sources to start up the business, including for tenant improvements and new furniture and equipment.
“If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t have started undercapitalized,” DeLaquil said. “We had to piece together from friends and family and credit cards and everything else. It ends up costing you more. We weren’t at a point where we had finished paying all that off, and then things started slowing down.”
He said high gas prices this summer likely played a huge part in the drop off in business, with residents in Boise’s western suburbs staying closer to home for dining and entertainment.
“You’ve got more and more stuff being built and more stuff available out there,” he said. “You couple that with the crazy gas prices this summer and that makes it much less likely for people to make a trip downtown.”
Satchel’s closing follows the departure of 8th Street Wine Co., Andrae’s, Mortimer’s Idaho Cuisine and MilkyWay since this spring.
9 Comments
It's sad to see so many of our local restaurants and restaurateurs go out of business.
To the people that read this and visit PF Changs, Old Chicago, and Spaghetti Factory--how about visiting the locally owned restaurants this month. They are just as good or better, appreciate your business much more, the money stays locally, and they donate more to the local non-profits in Boise.
Please support your locally owned companies! I know you hear this every week and perhaps you are a banker, an attorney, an office manager, a financial advisor, a secretary, or a marketing person and you don't think you can make a difference or it doesn't matter. But, it does. Spending a few more of your lunches/dinner/drinks each week at a locally owned company vs a big corporate box will make the difference.
Comment By Jon Monday, August 18, 2008 @ 4:53 PM
It is sad that some people have the attitude that the national chains are better than local restaurants. In my opinion, who in their right mind would go to Spaghetti Factory when you can eat at Gino's? Why eat at Bonefish when you can eat at City Grill or Angels?
Also, why do the suburbanites stay out in suburbia to eat at chain restaurants? Downtown Boise is so close to Meridian, Eagle and it doesn't take very much gas to drive down the Connector or State or Fairview into downtown. Why do people accept the mudane atmosphere of Eagle Road and the strip malls and the new plazas over the one of a kind atmosphere of downtown Boise? It is so easy to park downtown even if you do not use a garage. Park a few blocks to the East by 4th and 3rd Sreets and walk the few blocks into the core. Downtown is the heart of this valley, Eagle Road is the detached limb.
Comment By shane Monday, August 18, 2008 @ 5:18 PM
I live, work and play Downtown.
Multi Layers of governance (City of Boise, CCDC, DBA, GBAD), lack of esthetically pleasing and perceived to be safe parking, exponentially increasing traffic congestion, narrow sidewalks...
These coupled with unfulfilled promises at Boise's Black Hole, a shaky economy and people's reluctance to try new things all have conspired to make Downtown Boise (indeed, many a Downtown) an exceptionally difficult place for "The Little Guy" to do business.
Not impossible; but very difficult.
Comment By The Boise Picayune Monday, August 18, 2008 @ 6:22 PM
Many restaurants fail in a non-boom economy. In some cases, it is true that marginal income forces good businesses into closure. It is also true that in a boom economy an artificial situation exists that fosters the growth of establishments that might not exist otherwise.
In quite a large number of cases there are additional issues. It is easy to blame the economy, but price, quality, service, and attitude play a role. Best to examine the ones that do not fail to understand why.
In the case of Boise, and some of the closures, the above factors have played a role. The product proposition can be complicated and must be attractive to consumers.
Anyway, shed no tears, rather look forward to the next wave of restaurants that may offer more.
Comment By Micky D Monday, August 18, 2008 @ 8:43 PM
Wow.
Is it really the fault of people who don't live in Boise when a Boise restaurant fails? Think about that.
I support the locally owned businesses in my own town. If a Boise restaurant isn't resonating with it's local crowd the restaurant needs to realign... that just a good business practice.
Plus, is the solution for failing businesses that I burn $4/gal fuel, muck up the air and create more traffic on the road?
Think about it.
How often do you support the locally owned establishments in Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell?
Comment By Think about it. Tuesday, August 19, 2008 @ 11:29 AM
over at the Statesman, the comments are pretty brutal about the food & service -- I simply don't see that. Always had a good meal and good service. And those movie nights? Great fun - like showing "Best in Show" & getting people to bring their dogs, LOL. Dominic - good luck!
Comment By Norris Krueger Tuesday, August 19, 2008 @ 12:19 PM
Keep in mind that even though 6 very beloved downtown restaurants have closed this year, 10 more have opened. I think there is some truth to the explanation that in tougher economic times and with environmental issues such as preserving air quality on all of our minds, we tend to spend our time and money dining out in our own neighborhoods. The good news is that Downtown Boise is on the verge of becoming a residential neighborhood; ie The Aspen Lofts, Royal Plaza, City Side Lofts, The Jefferson and others. For those who see downtown condo living as a market lacking middle-class housing options; I'd suggest checking out newly-available phase 2 of The Aspen Lofts.
Comment By Elizabeth Gregg Tuesday, August 19, 2008 @ 1:27 PM
Somewhat off subject, but....I've noticed how some have been trying to convince others that downtown Boise is "the place to be" whether it's realtors, business owners in the downtown area or whoever they are. Why should/would people drive to downtown to help boost struggling businesses when there are struggling locally owned business in every city, including Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, Etc.
Well put "think about it"
Comment By Scott Wednesday, August 20, 2008 @ 9:52 AM
Scott, I see your point, but if downtown Boise was a depressed business-only district with vacancies everywhere; it would greatly impact the economies of Eagle, Meridian and Nampa etc. Eagle, Meridian and Nampa are outlying communities to the more major metropolitan hub of Downtown Boise. A great example is Spokane Washington. Downtown Spokane is depressed and as soon as the downtown core of that city went into depression, the entire Spokane-valley economy and population stalled. Why would businesses and potential residents want to move to, or invest in a suburb of a depressed city? Support downtown Boise! Eagle, Meridian, Nampa etc. would not exist if Downtown Boise went into a depression.
Comment By Steve Wednesday, August 20, 2008 @ 2:43 PM
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