The Women at BridgeWalk Village

With a quaint Sun Valley charm and carefree souls, BridgeWalk is unique.

 So you need a sassy new shirt and the perfect accessory for your home, and then you want to order some gourmet food for a gift basket before meeting friends for a fabulous lunch.  And, of course, you would prefer to do all this while surrounded by exquisite landscaping in a quaint village setting that offers popular community events.  

To find such a treasured place, you could spend days and a small fortune traveling to the boutique shops in Sun Valley.  Or it would take at least a day to search all over Boise.  But for a unique experience with fun-loving people, just mosey on down to The Bridgewalk on Aikens Road and discover a destination in the heart of Eagle that promises to become your favorite place to be.  
The four shops include the Blue Moose Café, Villa Décor and Design, Beside the Moose, and CLUB, a woman’s apparel store.  The owners bring together a powerful combination of experience and have invested their abundant talents and precious resources to turn this quiet corner of Eagle into a thriving attraction for hundreds of local residents who love what’s happening there.  Just follow the lighted bridge to find a charming collection of shops and to meet the friendly women who own them.  

Blue Moose Café

Marcy Anderson’s ancestors were true Idaho pioneers, and she loves to tell stories of her family who homesteaded in Valley County.  Her great-great-grandfather built a pool hall and general store in New Meadows, and loggers and ranchers came from miles around for supplies, haircuts, and to play some pool before going back to work.  Marcy learned to cook on the homestead with her grandmother, and she has fond memories of their home as a gathering place for neighbors and friends.
“I want to duplicate that community feeling at the Blue Moose Café,” says Anderson.  “We offer good food, regular community events, and an attractive place for people to relax and share good times.”
Anderson was raised in California where she became a successful PGA golf professional.  About ten years ago, she moved back to Idaho to find her roots – and cook up some good food.  She drove by a 90-year-old house on Aikens Road in Eagle and knew she’d found her home away from home.
“We remodeled the building, installed a commercial kitchen, added landscaping, and opened the Blue Moose,” she said.  “We could only seat 24 customers and the space was too small so we added a log cabin sun room that can seat 40.  We can serve up to 100 on the patio.  Future plans call for building an upper deck balcony surrounded with hanging baskets of flowers.”
Loyal patrons are fond of the specialty sandwiches, wraps and salads.  The Blue Moose Sandwich features toasted sourdough stacked high with turkey, ham, bacon and smoked gouda and assorted condiments.  Lighter fare includes the Maytag Salad – a splendid concoction of romaine lettuce, craisens, diced apples and chunks of blue cheese.  A typical lunch is ten dollars.  The restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. and closes after the last person leaves in the afternoon.

The Blue Moose is famous for its special events.  The annual Doggie Palooza features live entertainment on the roof while people and their pets parade in costumes.  Anderson is planning regular activities throughout the year, including Halloween parties and elaborate holidays parties.   She also manages a successful catering business and can organize a gourmet meal for any size of private or business group.  For more information, visit her web site at www. Bluemoosecafe.net.

CLUB

CLUB is a women’s apparel boutique shop that offers one-of-a-kind pieces for the young and young at heart.  You’ll find colorful gauze tops, designer jeans, “bling-bling” belts, unique handbags, and seasonal dresses.  The store’s entryway entices visitors with a wooden cart full of festive flowers in vintage buckets and a creative collection of shimmering chimes tinkling in the breeze.

Owner Laurie Warner was a designer in Los Angeles who wanted to bring some city sophistication to match the emerging energy of Eagle.  She first opened her shop west of Eagle Road, but the location wasn’t good for walk-in traffic.

“I moved to The Bridgewalk three years ago” says Warner.  “This location is smaller but better.  We have a loyal clientele, and we enjoy our relationship with the other shop owners.”

Villa Décor and Design

To Beth Bindner and Sandie Gibson, every day is a holiday.  They own Villa Décor and Design and agree that they have the best possible jobs in the world.  And their world includes lots of charming ambiance with creative attention to personal style.  Their goal is to turn each client’s house into a home.  

“We are promoting a beautiful lifestyle, and we want people to feel good about themselves and their surroundings,” says Gibson.   “We exceed our client’s expectations in every part of the process.” Bindner and Gibson met a few years ago through their children’s activities.  Gibson is a designer and Bindner has business expertise, so they combined their skills and resources to open a shop in their homes as a hobby.  Soon they had clients come from Sun Valley and McCall as well as from throughout the Treasure Valley.  They opened a store on State Street and then moved the business to Eagle last year.

“We love to decorate homes for the holidays,” says Bindner.  “Some of our clients fly here and find their home completely decorated.  They trust us to do it right.  One of our holiday parties featured lit globes floating in a pool.  Other decorations include a mixture of silk and real flowers.”
For new clients, Gibson and Bindner will take photographs of a client’s home, download the photos onto their computer, and then add suggested décor so the client can visualize the design before deciding to purchase.  

“We love being at The BridgeWalk,” says Gibson.  “There is a creative, energetic feeling here, and the other shop owners are our friends and helpers.  We’re looking forward to a wonderful, happy holiday season.   The contagious atmosphere of this area and all the planned activities will encourage people to come, shop, and enjoy our special village on Aikens Road.”