Valley’s first Starbucks with double drive-thru coming to Avondale

PHOENIX — Brokerage firm Western Retail Advisors announced Friday it completed a lease to create the Valley’s first Starbucks double drive-thru in Avondale.

That means coffee lovers in the West Valley will be able to use two different lanes to place an order. It will be a faster way to get their morning coffees on the way to work.

Western Retail Advisors also said it will relocate a too-small Starbucks store to a new location at 10655 W. Indian School Road. The new spot, which will have the two lanes, will be around 3,070 square feet.

There might be a faint scent of fried chicken in the air, though. A KFC store previously occupied the space. The new lease will renovate the store, which has been vacant for four years.

The upcoming Starbucks store will front Indian School Road near 107th Avenue and the Loop 101 freeway.

Why is Western Retail Advisors planning a Starbucks with two drive-thru lanes?

“This new location gave Starbucks the store size it required but could only stack three or four vehicles in its single drive through lane,” Western Retail Advisors Senior Vice Presidents Bryan Babits said in a statement.

That was far below what was needed.

“Creating a double drive-thru is a great example of Starbucks creativity, overcoming an operational challenge and already contributing to a 26% jump in sales at this new address,” he said.

Bryan Ledbetter, who is also a senior vice president at Western Retail Advisors, said this move is part of a bigger trend.

“Phoenix’s retail demand is happening not only in traditional stores but also in the quick serve restaurant category, making us one of the nation’s hottest locations for new and expanding concepts,” he said.

“Those trends are reflected clearly at this Starbucks store,” Ledbetter said.