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By Michael Lanza
Can a suburban shopping strip really be 100 years old? Yes, in Hyde Park, a two-block stretch of North 13th Street in Boise, Idaho, that is nothing like today's malls.
In the early 1900s, a trolley line was built to transport commuters between downtown (about a mile away) and new housing developments in the North End, considered “suburbs” at the time. Several businesses, including a dairy, a dyer, and a millinery, set up shop.
Today, many of these buildings house uncommon stores and restaurants, and the area is in the National Register of Historic Places. Here are some highlights. Area code is 208.
▪ Hikers and mountain bikers drop down into Hyde Park from the popular Lower Hulls Gulch and Crestline trails that wind through the Boise Foothills and Camel's Back Park. www.cityofboise.org/parks.
▪ Pizza and pitchers are standard fare on the patio at Lucky 13, a former gas station that's a popular hangout for the young active crowd. 1602 N. 13th St., 344-6967.
▪ Richard's of Hyde Park stands with Boise's finest restaurants; the creamy tomato-basil soup is famously delicious. 1520 N. 13th St., 331-9855, www.richardsofhydepark.com.
▪ The cozy courtyard at Parrilla Grill thrums with live music on sunny summer days. On cool days, or any time, order the spicy Wrap of Khan: a big tortilla stuffed with cilantro-lime rice, buffalo meat, a chili bean smear, and Thai peanut sauce. 1512 N. 13th St., 323-4688.
▪ Ten Thousand Villages sells handicrafts—jewelry, baskets, games—made by artists in developing countries. 1609 N. 13th St., 333-0535, www.tenthousandvillagesid.com.
▪ You can while away an afternoon at Hyde Park Books browsing among 100,000 titles including out-of-print books and newspapers dating back to the 1700s. 1507 N. 13th St., www.hydeparkbooks.com.
▪ Follow your nose to Goody's Soda Fountain & Candy Store. The buttery sweet scent of homemade caramels, nut clusters, and truffles drifts tantalizingly from the front door of this locals' favorite. 1502 N. 13th St., 367-0020, www.goodysgoodies.com.
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