WinCo opens for the last time

WinCo Foods’ new grocery warehouse store at 9718 E. Sprague Ave., did something Monday it plans to do just once.

It opened for business.

The Boise-based food chain opened its doors at 9 a.m. Monday and the store, which features almost 2 1/2 indoor acres, will remain open 24/7.

Since that appointed hour, the biggest challenge facing the regional discount grocery has been finding a parking space.

“This used to be a Home Base store so there isn’t much we can do about the parking situation,” store manager Norm Miller explained. “I think once we get through this opening phase it will calm down.”

With so much space under one roof, the store hands out store maps to help newcomers find specific areas. After all, wandering this many aisles can turn a stroll into a hike.

The opening has been big – not quite on the scale of the chain’s initial Spokane-area store on Nevada Street earlier this year, but enough to put