Bank Being Remodeled

Sat., Aug. 1, 1998

By Angie Gaddy angieg@spokesman.com

Farmers and Merchants Bank is remodeling its first Valley branch.

Construction on the 5,000-square foot building at 10808 E. Sprague began July 6 and will be complete Sept. 21.

The company is remodeling both the interior and exterior of the building to update its appearance and provide easier customer access, said vice president Diane Groh.

“One of the things we wanted to do is show there’s a strong commitment to the Valley location,” Groh said.

The remodel includes installation of new carpeting and a slate floor inside. The bank’s home loan center will be separate from the bank’s main office and the private investment firm Phelps and Woodhead will also have a separate office.

The bank branch, which opened in 1962, will also have a new safety deposit room, a handicap-accessible bathroom and a new drive-thru system.

The exterior will be earth-tone colors with a black awning and new columns around the windows will cover the white exterior. The entryway will include a large glass window with the bank’s red heart logo.

There will be more landscaping and outside lighting, Groh said.

The drive-thru is closed now, but the branch has extended its lobby hours to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The lobby might be closed for one or two days during the remodel, but the drive thru will be open by that time, Groh said.

Park targets smaller businesses.

Crown WarehouseSuites, a new 28,000-square foot building in the middle of the park, will have eight separate spaces for smaller companies.

“There was a demand in the market. People were coming to us with that need in space,” said Brent Long, marketing manager for Crown West, owner and developer of the park. “It’s kind of like a executive suite for industrial (business).”

The individual rental spaces will range in size from 1,600 to 6,000 square feet. Each will include warehouse space, dock loading and railroad access.

The new building will also include a full-service lunchroom.

One lease has been signed with Itron, which uses the space for storage.

Rite Aid opening in August

The new Rite Aid store on the corner of Sullivan and Sprague will open Aug. 10.

The 16,000-square foot store will have a double-lane drive-thru pharmacy, a one-hour photo center, a fax and mailing center and a garden center.

This store uses Rite Aid’s new colors and logo, said Rite Aid spokesperson Jackie Durbin.

The hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

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