Myers Liquor files plan for drive-through lane and new retail space at 23rd and Alabama location

Posted by Chad Lawhorn December 20, 2012 at 9:34 a.m.

Myers Liquor files plan for drive-through lane and new retail space at 23rd and Alabama location

Somehow, it just seems appropriate in this season of late-night battles with wrapping paper, the pre-planning for in-law visits, and the arguments with your spouse about thawing the Christmas goose in the bathtub that this topic would emerge: Drive-through liquor stores.

I am now beginning to understand why my wife rarely lets me leave the borders of Douglas County because I guess in some communities there are liquor stores that have drive-through lanes.

Lawrence may add its name to that list. Christian Walter, the owner of Myers Liquor, 902 W. 23rd St., confirmed to me that he has major redevelopment plans on tap for the longtime liquor store.

The plans include a drive-through lane, which he said would make Myers the only liquor store in town with drive-through service. The lane would be on the east side of the building and would exit onto adjacent Alabama Street.

The drive-through, though, is really just a small part of a larger plan. Walter is filing plans with City Hall to add an 1,800-square-foot retail space onto the west end of the liquor store building. That would almost double the amount of retail space at the corner. The existing Myers Liquor building also would get a complete facelift. Myers said he doesn’t have any plans to use the new space to expand the liquor store. Instead, he wants to attract a new retail tenant to the busy corner on 23rd Street, hopefully a tenant that would be complimentary to the liquor store business. (I vote for a Doritos store. Nacho cheese Doritos and Evan Williams is a country wine and cheese party where I come from. Yes, you are correct, my wife only let me host a wine-and-cheese party once.)

As for the drive-through lane, Walter isn’t making any promises it will come to be. His plans still have to win approval from Lawrence City Hall, and so he is probably a couple of months away from starting construction on any project. But Walter thinks the concept would go over well with customers in Lawrence.

“Our store really thrives on convenience,” Walter said. “This would just increase the convenience factor.”

It makes sense to me. But, of course, I thought thawing the goose in the bathtub was convenient.

A rendering of the proposed storefront for Myers Liquor and new retail space to the west of the existing store. Courtesy: Christian Walter and Paul Werner Architects. by Chad Lawhorn

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buffalo63 4 months, 4 weeks ago

First thing is to shovel the sidewalk on the east side of the store rather than pile the snow from the parking lot onto the sidewalk.

Old_Oread_Phart 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Or if we really need more liquor drive through lanes we could all move to Texas.

gccs14r 4 months, 4 weeks ago

I didn't know drive-through liquor was legal in Kansas. How is the clerk supposed to judge the sobriety of the customer if he never has to stand up?

dulcinea47 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Yeah drive through beer! Sooooo lazy. Near where I lived in California there was a drive through liquor store, and since there's no prohibition there on selling other things in liquor stores, it was really like a drive through convenience store with an emphasis on alcohol.

Ron Holzwarth 4 months, 4 weeks ago

What Lawrence really needs is a pawn shop with a drive through lane like they have, or did have until recently, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

And, a drive through liquor store next door would be very convenient.

keifferam 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Saint Joseph still has a pawn shop with a drive-through lane.

jonas_opines 4 months, 4 weeks ago

The horror! The Hoooooorrrrroooorrrr!!

Cant_have_it_both_ways 4 months, 4 weeks ago

If drive through stores in general were a good thing, then we would already have them.

globehead 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Let's put Braille pads on the drive up window too so we can accommodate everybody.

cowboy 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Lived in mississippi for a couple years and they had drive thru tap beer , seemed so wrong but tasted so right.

Catalano 4 months, 4 weeks ago

So where ARE you going to thaw the goose?

clawhorn 4 months, 4 weeks ago

I don't know. This cold weather seems to take the garage out of the running.

tolawdjk 4 months, 4 weeks ago

As a bonus, that "rendering" will also serve as the first 3 pages of KU football's playbook next year.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

kernal 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Last I time I checked, KS didn't allow drive-thru for liquor stores. When did that change?

local_vocal 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Liberal, KS has at least 4 maybe more. I think it falls under city laws.

mightyquin 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Topeka has at least two that I know of.

QuiviraTrail 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Missouri has had them for years. I wonder if the DUI rate is higher there?

Andini 4 months, 4 weeks ago

This is great news. I now won't have to put on pants when I venture out of Moms basement for Natty Light.

melott 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Report them to the city for not shoveling their sidewalk. They have 48 hours from this morning.

Bigdog66046 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Would be interesting to see how much more retail could be added. They don't seem to have enough parking for their current store, let alone adding more retail space! Would be hard to find a retail client that doesn't need any parking!