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Up Next, Nampa



The city of Nampa was born in the early 1880s thanks to the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The town became a popular stop when railroads connecting Wyoming to Oregon were built. By 1900 the town had a population of 800 and about 10 trains a day would make a stop in Nampa. Besides just being a railroad town, Nampa started gaining popularity for its agricultural opportunities. In 1942, the Amalgamated Sugar Factory was built and still remains in operation today.




Today, Nampa is Idaho’s second largest city and it has been thriving over the last several years. Only a quick 20 mile drive from Boise, Nampa is well-located for business development. With the rapid expansion of the city, about two million square feet of retail space is under construction in 2010. This versatile city has a lot to offer from recreational activities to great business opportunities.

Nampa is home to some of Idaho’s best venues including the Nampa Civic Center, Nampa Recreation Center and Idaho Center. People from all over Idaho come to Nampa for quality entertainment. With several venues that hold large crowds, Nampa is home to concerts, rodeos, theatrical productions, pageants and much more. The 120,000 square foot Idaho Center can hold 13,100 people and has hosted world-class musical artists such as Eric Clapton, The Eagles, Rod Stewart and Journey. The venue is also home to the Snake River Stampede, one of the top ten professional rodeos. In addition to the indoor seating, the Idaho Center also includes an amphitheater that can seat up to 10,500.
                              
Nampa retains its small town charm even through its rapid growth. A number of the city’s parks, schools, and venues were completed with the help of volunteers. With the combination of a vibrant city, great location, and low costs, Nampa is a great place for business.

Business District

 One of the successful businesses booming in Nampa is Peppershock Media, which has been just as unique as its name since its launch in 2003. Rhea Allen, President and CEO of Peppershock describes her company as “shocking and fresh”. Peppershock refers to itself as a hybrid agency due to its combination of in-house video production, graphic design and still photography that specifically caters to its clients. The talented team creates promotional videos, radio commercials, brochures, web design, posters and anything else that its clients could possibly want. Peppershock takes pride in listening to its customers in order to make sure that it delivers exactly what their clients need. A few of Peppershock's customers include the Canyon County Fair, Intermountain Community Bank, Idaho Department of Education and the Mountain Home Air Force Base.

Peppershock has award winning work such as first place with the Idaho Press Club and a national-level Bronze Telly Award. Allen contributes in-house ability, teamwork, reputation and location to their success.

When asked why she chose to start the business in Nampa Allen said “we enjoy being a part of this community”. “I like that you can go somewhere and you will always know somebody…I think in larger cities you don’t have that as much”. 

“It’s growing, it’s thriving, it’s going to be renovated and I think that’s exciting to me” said Allen. She also described the city as “heartfelt because everyone here is looking out for everybody”.





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Nampa Quick Facts

  • Population: 80,362 
  • Largest Employers: Amalgamated Sugar Co., City of Nampa, JR Simplot, Mercy Medical Center, Nampa School District 
  • City of Nampa: http://ci.nampa.id.us/pages/cityinformation.php
  • Nampa Chamber of Commerce: http://www.nampa.com/
  • Why Nampa? http://www.whynampa.com/
  • Buildings and Land: http://www.gemstateprospector.com/



      • Nampa Recreation Center

      There was a vision to build a place where people of all ages could get together and have a safe, family-friendly location for exercise and activities in Nampa. This vision became a reality when Mercy Medical Center donated 13 acres of land for the project. After additional funds were collected, Nampa Recreation Center opened in 1994 and currently has a 140,000 square foot facility. Before doors even opened, more than 13,000 people had already purchased memberships. It is home to the largest indoor rock climbing wall in Idaho. The center has a number of amenities, including: 3 full size basketball courts, 3 dance studios, 5 swimming pools, an indoor running track, a senior center, 4 exercise studios and a weight room. The Nampa Recreation Center has provided endless activities and fun for the residents of Nampa for the last 16 years.

      Business District

      What sounds good to you? Whether it’s onion rings, gourmet twice baked potatoes, or mozzarella cheese sticks Great American Appetizers has it and plenty more. Great American Appetizers’ manufacturing base in Nampa has accomplished a lot in the last several years with President Ellen Meyer and her husband, Marco Meyer, as the chief operating officer. While the company has been in the foodservice industry since 1959, it has been based in Nampa since 1994 and has grown from 30 to 400 employees in less than 7 years. The company has received the honor of being #1 in the Frozen Snacks category for the Private Label Buyer Magazine’s Colonel Awards for the last 3 years. With retailer representatives writing in their votes, Great American Appetizers does not take this award lightly.
      Great American Appetizers originally had two manufacturing plants, one in Nampa and one in Nebraska. The company decided to move all of its facilities to Nampa in order to be closer to the main raw products that it uses, Spanish sweet onions and russet potatoes. Ellen Meyer is happy with the decision to move to Nampa.
      “Nampa is a great location for agriculturally-based businesses like ours. We can build relationships with local suppliers and take advantage of the resources around us. We also have a large candidate pool for employees that understand our business.”