Two men rob loan office

Two men robbed the Advance Til Payday loan office at 3422 N. Division St. at gunpoint shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Their descriptions were similar to those of two men who robbed M&K Grocery, 4619 N. Market St., about 11 a.m. Thursday.

Police released a surveillance photo of the M&K robbers, showing one man wielding a semi-automatic pistol while the other cleans out the cash register.

Spokane police said the men who robbed the Advance Til Payday loan office fled east on an alley just south of the loan office with an undisclosed amount of cash.

As in the M&K robbery, witnesses said only one of the men displayed a gun.

At Advance Til Payday, the gunman was described as white, in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, thin and wearing a baseball cap, a blue hooded sweatshirt, jeans and white tennis shoes.

The other man was described as black with light skin, in his mid-20s, about 5 feet 5 inches tall with a medium build, and wearing a brown plaid hooded sweatshirt, jeans and white shoes.

In the M&K robbery, the black man had the pistol, and he was described as the taller of the two robbers. Those men fled in a gold-colored, mid-90s Ford Taurus, according to police.

Police ask anyone with information about the robberies to call (509) 242-TIPS.

Coeur d’Alene

New thrift store opening today

A new thrift store from Lake City Community Church opens today at 10 a.m. on the southeast corner of Northwest Boulevard and Appleway.

A grand opening celebration goes until 6 p.m. and features free barbecued turkey sandwiches, hot dogs and french fries as well as discounts on merchandise and a bouncy castle for kids.

The store, called Thriftique, touts itself in a news release as being a thrift store with “a unique-boutique atmosphere” that features new, name-brand clothing and other quality items.

Its location at 1650 Lee Court puts it right next to the church’s food bank, open Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m