POCATELLO — Chopstick Cafe, one of the oldest running restaurants in Pocatello, has closed its doors for good.

Its final day of operation was June 1.

“We have loved serving you, our wonderful customers. You are family to us! We love our community,” the owners said in a statement to the Journal.

Chopstick Cafe, which was the oldest Chinese restaurant in Pocatello, had been a landmark in the Pocatello community for almost 70 years. But the owner of 18 years, Cui Qing Cao, says that she wants to spend more time with her family.

“Every day I work really hard,” she said.

Qing Cao is now planning on going to work at Mandarin House on Yellowstone Avenue with her relatives. She is excited to have more time to herself to relax.

Most of Chopstick Cafe’s customers were regulars, and Qing Cao said that they didn’t get much foot traffic from young people because they didn’t seem to come through the Old Town area as often.

“I will miss them,” Quig Cao said of her loyal customers.

She also said that all of the older businesses that she recognized had left and been replaced with new ones, which made her feel lonely.

Stephanie Palagi, executive director of Old Town Pocatello, was disappointed to hear that Chopstick Cafe, a longtime fixture on South Main Street, was leaving, but noted that sometimes change is good.

But despite the loss of Chopstick Cafe, many new businesses are continuing to open in Old Town Pocatello, while others are expanding their operations.

Food For Thought, which serves sandwiches, soups and salads, held a grand re-opening event last week to celebrate the addition of a sitting room area in the restaurant.

Food For Thought was initially located on South Fourth Avenue and East Center Street, but the owners sold it when a buyer made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Karen Pease, one of the owners, said that over time they became inspired to re-open after being approached by people in public, telling them they missed the Cobb salad that Food For Thought offered.

Pease said people who come to Food For Thought “will get the best salads, sandwiches and the best soup in town.”

They re-opened in Old Town Pocatello as a smaller operation in January 2017 with just take-out offered, but now they’re opening up space for a sitting room.

Lawerence Danielson opened a coin merchant shop in the Elwen Cottage on North Main Street, and he’s satisfied with the area so far.

He aims to be an asset to the community and to offer customers advice and give them as much as they can get for coins they bring in.

“There are some places in Pocatello that’ll buy silver and buy gold, but they’re not interested in talking to you about them if there is some collectability to them,” Danielson said.

Danielson continued, “I’m looking to get you the most money for what you have.”

A new sandwich shop called ChubbyZ’ will be opening on Center Street, and Kelly Brown, one of the new owners, said that they’d be offering East Coast-style sandwiches, along with many other styles that people know and love.

Brown says that her and her business partner, Brian Kelsey, have been cooks for the better part of the decade and it’s become one of their passions.

“We’re going to be offering multiple specials and a lot of creativity will play into those,” Brown said.

Brown is also a co-owner of Nerd Church Gaming, another Old Town business that is looking to expand.