Drive thru makes it a true convenience store

(NECN/KXLY: Sandpoint, Wash.) – One stop shopping is Express Lane’s motto, all you have to do is drive up and order. Pay and in just a few minutes, and you are on your way. “It’s something a little different, something local,” Rob Cassal said. This is not mom’s traditional grocery store. You do not need to worry about fighting for a parking spot and no need to even step out of the car. The shelves are stocked with items like soda, chips, beer, and ice — but at this check out stand the clerks come straight up to your window and ask you what you want. “I think its awesome. Anything that makes life easier would be great for me,” customer Anita Solis said. Express Lane caters to drivers, cyclists and foot traffic wanting to stock up on basic essentials. “Main convenience store items — we’ve got milk, and bread and eggs, a broad range of sodas, beer, cigarettes,” Adrian Cox said. Owner Adrian Cox realizes he is taking a gamble opening a business during such tough economic times. But Cox knows his hometown loves drive thrus and remembers when the city council thought about banning them. “There was consideration to eliminate drive thrus in the area,” Cox said. “It sounded like that was pretty unpopular with the citizens, fortunately that didn’t happen.” The marketing idea is not new to North Idaho. Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls have similar drive thru stores. For Express Lane’s opening day, the curious kept coming. And so did drivers wanting to take the hassle out of a trip to the grocery store. KXLY’s Tania Dall reports.