BOISE, Idaho — It’s called TRADESTAY, and that’s exactly what it is — it’s a place for workers and traveling journeymen to come and stay and feel like they’re home.
Allison Shepard and her husband saw that there was a need for a business that specifically caters to traveling blue-collar workers.
“A lot of our guests are pipefitters, electricians, plumbers, steel erectors, crane operators," said Shepard.
They started small in Phoenix and saw an opportunity to branch out in Boise. “We think about Micron and all the workers and all of the jobs that are going to be created, but we kind of forgot about all of the workers that are going to have to build that, and where are they going to go?" Shepard asked.
The couple, who have hospitality and civil engineering experience, searched and found the old Motel 6 on Airport Way. They made a deal with the owners and were off and running. Cleanup and renovation started in February, and their first guests checked in a month later.
About a third of their 90 rooms are occupied. Their rooms are reasonably priced on a weekly basis, and they also have monthly specials.
“Life on the road is hard and there’s not a lot of support for that and so what we did was combine all of the support and bring them together," Shepard said. "Every Sunday, we do a social Sunday where we do dinner for everybody in the lounge so we can sit around the table and eat together.”
They have grab stations where guests can pick up things for their rooms and bathrooms, free laundry that includes wash and fold. They also provide information for everything from where to reach out to health and wellness services to locating the closest workout center.
“The best part is the gratitude we get from all of our guests," Shepard said. "The relationships we build with our guests and that’s how we keep growing, we know where they’ll be going, and we keep growing with them.”
Safety is their number one priority, and they ask that their guests be respectful of each other and the space.
The official ribbon cutting for TRADESTAY's Boise location will be coming up in June.
