Walmart Blamed as Once-Booming Family-Run Idaho Chain Closes Last Store After Half a Century

A once popular Idaho clothing store announced it would shutter after nearly 50 years in business partly because competition from Walmart and other nearby big box stores had hollowed out its customer base.

Owner Larry Bishop, 69, told the Idaho Statesman he's ready to retire after taking over his father's business in 1989.

Bishop's downtown Nampa Farm Store, located about 20 miles west of Boise, was once one of 15 locations throughout southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.

The small chain became known for its low-cost, high-quality clothing, including coveralls, boots and work jeans.

But as more Walmart stores started popping up in the area, Farm Store found it more difficult to attract customers. By 2010, Bishop's location was the only one left.

He said it wouldn't be practical to turn over the business to someone else and has instead opted to put the building itself up for sale.

“It’s kind of difficult," Bishop told local business-focused outlet BoiseDev last November. "You got to have quite a bit of experience, not someone that you could just take 60 days with and they’re ready to go."

Bishop said he gave equal credit to Dodie Martin and Ima Marcus, who had worked at the store for 30 years and 20 years respectively.

“On behalf of Dodie, Ima and myself, we’d like to thank all our loyal customers who have supported us over the years,” Bishop told the Statesman. “(It’s) the end of an era.”