Nampa, Idaho Community Rallies Behind Old Country Sausage as 11th Avenue Road Construction Disrupts Downtown Access
NAMPA, Idaho — A road construction project converting part of 11th Avenue in downtown Nampa back to two-way traffic has created significant challenges for small businesses near Library Square, but the local community has responded with a wave of support that has surprised and moved at least one business owner. Old Country Sausage, a specialty shop known for its handcrafted German-style sausages, has become a rallying point for customers across the Treasure Valley who are going out of their way to keep the business running during the disruption.
Construction Cones Couldn’t Keep Customers Away
When construction crews moved in and blocked access near Old Country Sausage, owner Lidia Heredea feared the worst. “I was thinking, ‘Mama, go home. Nobody’s gonna come,'” Heredea said in remarks reported by Idaho News 6. But a Facebook post by her apprentice, Dmitry, changed everything.
“After Dmitry’s post — was a blast. Everybody come and support us,” Heredea said.
Dmitry described arriving to open the shop and finding the area completely blocked off. He said the social media post was critical to keeping business alive that morning. “If not for that post. Basically, I came to open the store and everything was blocked,” he said.
The outpouring went well beyond Nampa’s city limits. Customers traveled from Boise, Twin Falls, and Fruitland to show their support. “I really, really appreciate Boise people, [people] from Twin Falls, [people] from Fruitland. ‘We come to support you. We come to support you.’ I really appreciate [it]. God bless them,” Heredea said.
Even the construction workers themselves became regulars. “Everybody come here to eat, even the worker from the street, they come to eat here — to support us. Nobody goes someplace else,” Heredea said.
City Working to Limit Impact on Local Businesses
The 11th Avenue project is part of the City of Nampa’s effort to restore two-way traffic flow in the downtown corridor near Library Square. Nampa Director of Transportation Crystal Craig said the city has been working closely with affected businesses to minimize disruptions during operating hours.
“We’ve been able to find out when their operating hours are so that we can best do shutdowns that would affect their businesses after hours,” Craig said in remarks reported by Idaho News 6.
Craig also noted that traffic signal timing is being adjusted daily through the city’s traffic monitoring center to help drivers navigate the construction zone more efficiently. The city has further accelerated the project’s timeline by bringing in additional crews. “The contractor has actually brought in multiple crews, a day crew and a night crew, so we can accelerate construction and get this improvement in faster,” Craig said.
The city expects the 11th Avenue project to be completed by September. Canyon County residents dealing with similar road disruptions elsewhere in the region can find updates through city transportation departments. Similar construction-related business impacts have been documented across the Treasure Valley — including road closures in Southwest Boise tied to new development work — underscoring how infrastructure projects continue to test the resilience of local small businesses.
Impact on Canyon County’s Small Business Community
For Canyon County families and small business owners, the story of Old Country Sausage offers a reminder of what community-driven commerce looks like in practice. The shop produces 36 varieties of sausage, all made in-house in Nampa. “We have 36 names of sausage [we] make in the house. With a lot of love, I put extra each time — make local in Idaho,” Heredea said.
That commitment to locally made products, combined with a loyal customer base willing to navigate construction zones to show their support, reflects the kind of small business culture that has long defined the Treasure Valley economy. For more statewide coverage of infrastructure and economic developments affecting Idaho families, visit Idaho News.
What Comes Next
The 11th Avenue two-way traffic conversion project is expected to wrap up in September, at which point access to businesses near Library Square in downtown Nampa should return to normal. In the meantime, residents looking to support Old Country Sausage and other affected businesses near the construction zone are encouraged to plan ahead for parking and access changes in the area.
Community members with tips or story ideas about how infrastructure projects are affecting Canyon County neighborhoods can reach out to local reporters covering the Nampa and Caldwell areas.