Les Schwab in Cd'A to expand southward

Les Schwab, the big regional tire retailer, plans to demolish the old Topper Too drive-in restaurant building in Coeur d'Alene and expand its adjacent tire center with a new 10-bay service facility.

Les Schwab, which is located at 2818 N. Government Way, in Coeur d'Alene, bought the Topper Too

The restaurant, at Z812 N. Government Way, closed at that time,

Demolition of the former restaurant building is expected to take place soon, after which Les Schwab plans to build a nearly 6,000-square-foot service center on the property, to the south of and adjoining its current showroom, says Michelle Waits, project manager for the tire chain's in-house construction department in Prineville, Ore., where Les Schwab's home office is located. The project also calls for construction of a 1,000-square-foot addition to the current showroom and remodeling work in the showroom, she says.

The cost of the overall construction project was budgeted at about $360,000, but Waits says it'll be "probably double that" by the time it's finished.

Les Schwab hasn't secured a building permit and hasn't firmed up a construction schedule for the project, she says. Gwin, however, says the new addition likely won't be finished until next spring.

Waits says Les Schwab also hasn't decided whether the company's construction arm, LS Construction, will handle the project, or it will be put out for competitive bid.

Les Schwab won't gain any additional service bays with the project: Its current 10 service bays will be converted to showroom space and warehouse space, Gwin says.

The warehouse space will be a bonus, however, because Les Schwab currently leases warehouse space in several other locations to store tires for the center, he says. "Hopefully we're going to be able to eliminate all of that," he says.

The remodeling and expansion project was sparked by the planned widening of Government Way, in Coeur d'Alene, which will reduce the size of Les Schwab's parking lot, Gwin says. With the addition of the three-quarter-acre restaurant parcel to the south, the tire company will reconfigure its parking and add parking spaces in front of the new service center, he says.

The city of Coeur d'Alene expects to begin work on the Government Way project in 2003.