SPRINGDALE -- The city Planning Commission approved 9-0 Tuesday night a rezoning to bring a Starbucks location to downtown.
The property at 408 N. Thompson St. sits on the northwest corner of Thompson's intersection with West Maple Avenue. It holds the building that housed Hi-Way Liquors.
The Merry Lee Phillips Revocable Trust will retain ownership of the .665-acre property and act as landlord, said Jim Phillips of the Springdale Liquor Association.
Starbucks will operate the store instead of selling the franchise, Phillips said.
Messages Tuesday afternoon to Starbucks weren't returned.
Through Engineering Services Inc., the Phillipses asked for the lot's commercial zoning to change to a different commercial zone, one which allows for high traffic volume.
The landowners also asked for a variance to the city's commercial design standards, which the commission also unanimously approved.
The city requires two entrances/exits to the building for customers. But the Starbucks will serve as a drive-through only, Phillips said, although some outside seating is planned.
"The store will be drive-through only, so they don't need two principal entrances," said Patsy Christie, director of the city's Planning Department.
The current building has stood in the location for about 60 years, Phillips said.
"It's been there a good long time," he said. "But we're going to tear it down, and building a whole new building."
The new building will encompass about 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, Phillips said.
Phillips said the lot's location near Springdale High School, Northwest Medical Center-Springdale and downtown made the location attractive to Starbucks.
"It sits there on the corner. It's easy to get in and out of," Phillips said.
He said coffee company officials contacted him about the location.
Phillips said the company's goal is to open by September.
Starbucks has another location in Springdale at 4224 W. Sunset Ave. The company has 15 stores in Northwest Arkansas, according to its website.
The website further says, the corporation opened 480 new stores in 2020, ending the year with 32,660 stores worldwide.
The corporation plans to open 1,100 stores in 2021.
Laurinda Joenks can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWALaurinda.