Is downtown Idaho Falls booming?

Historic Downtown Idaho Falls is a big attraction for tourists and people wanting to shop for something different, with Park Avenue as one of downtown’s most profitable streets. Store owner Linda Heiser said lately business has been so slow, which is making her work feel more like a hobby.

“We’re not here just because we fell like this is a good idea, this is a business to us. This is the way we earn our money,” said Heiser.

She says it’s an earning that has been decreasing for the past couple of months.

“We had back-to-school, we had the fair and then all of a sudden our government decided that they didn’t know what they were doing,” she said.

Heiser said she isn’t in this fiscal slump alone, other shops are also feeling the heat. Decline in business has downtown developers like Bob Everhart confused. According to his data, downtown is doing well.

“The best way to describe the business environment downtown is that it’s healthy,” he said.

Everhart said that many businesses that are also on Park Avenue are doing well, like La Vanilla Bean European Bakery, owned by KayLynn Broadhead.

“This is a slow time of the season, but I’d have to say it’s been picking up,” said Broadhead.

In fact Park Avenue is not the only street doing well, downtown developers say Shoup Avenue isn’t far behind in profitability.