BOISE, IDAHO — When driving into Hyde Park, part of Boise's historic North End, one of the first little stores that you'll see has been putting smiles on the faces of Boiseans for generations. Let's head to Hyde Park for this week's sweet Made in Idaho.
If you're looking for the sweetest-form of mid-20th century nostalgia, just head over to Goody's Soda Fountain in Hyde Park.
"We use a real soda fountain from the 1930's and handmake all of our own ice cream, toppings, chocolate," said Goody's General Manager Megan Zottarelli.
Since 1996, Goody's has been serving up their ice cream, chocolates, candies, caramel corn and more in Boise's North End neighborhood, and though this location isn't the original which was started in Oregon, it's the only Goody's that's owned by the founding family.
"We still use the same dairy over in Oregon, we still get some of our chocolates there that we don't have the room to make, so we still have a close relationship with them," said Zottarelli.
Megan has been with the little sweets shop for eleven years, and is ushering in the next generation of friendly faces.
"I love watching kids grow up here, you know? I have a girl I just hired who was five when I started, so I've seen her learn how to use money and learn how to order for herself and now she's working for me, so it's pretty cool," said Zottarelli.
She says everyone she works with is like family, and their owner strives to make sure everyone who comes in feels the same way.
"I really love that here, it's a culture of positivity, you know, where it's all about making people happy and having a great attitude and everything," said Zottarelli.
And it's a perfect fit in historic Hyde Park where families flock to eat, walk, and enjoy the atmosphere and good company.
"We're right on people's way walking home you know, it's such a cool neighborhood for that where, you know, people are actually slowing down and walking or biking past and spending a lot of time with their families and everything," said Zottarelli.
It's a North End delight that hopes to keep putting smiles on the faces of generations to come.
"It upholds all the things that Boise and Idaho are supposed to be all about. We're supposed to be a very welcoming and friendly community. I remember moving here and everybody was so friendly and I remember thinking that's strange, but now I'm one of those people too, I wave to everybody and say hi to people I don't know and that's what makes us different is that everybody is so genuinely happy to be here and wants to be a part of the community and to make other people's days better," said Zottarelli.
