Gas station turned coffee shop uses their drive-thru to stay in business during COVID-19

A gas station dating back to the 1940's has now turned into a coffee shop offering drive-thru service during the pandemic.

Partners Jeff Solorio, John Juniper, Benjamin Montoya and Edoardo Chavarin started fixing it up three years ago and turned it into Full Service Coffee Co., a drive-thru coffee shop for people on the go. With the stay at home order forcing many non-essential businesses to shut down due to safety, this coffee shop was able to keep running at full service.

"We realized we had an advantage because we have a drive-up concept," said Chavarin. "Minimal contact was always part of our DNA because people can just drive up and get their coffee."

And with their little-to-no-contact advantage, they've started helping other small businesses stay afloat too. They're buying handmade masks, fresh bread, pastries, frozen tamales and coffee essentials from other spots and selling to their customers here.

"We turned almost into this little bodega and a one-stop-shop. We're so happy that we have this little advantage and that we can share it so that people don't have to shut down completely," said Chavarin.

Chavarin said they've seen an increase in sales as well as an increase in tips. Which he said is usually pretty low when you compare coffee shop tips to restaurant tips.

"We're just super, super grateful definitely to our customers for being supportive to the new customers that are coming out that are finding us through this. And but also to our staff, you know, they're the ones on the front lines," Chavarin said.