BOULDER -- Those in search of a pint of Haagen Dazs, a Jefferson High School Panther T-shirt or perhaps a bottle of Buckley's cough syrup will find what they need at L& P Grocery.

And, while they search for their item, they'll likely bump smack into a neighbor, as well.

Maneuvering a cart down the skinny aisles of the cozy store calls for a smile and steering finesse around tight corners as shoppers squeeze past each other.

But soon the squeeze will be just a memory.

L& P owners Patty and Laurie Vossler are building a new store, more than three times the size, right next door to their current location on North Main. It's scheduled to open sometime in spring.

"The community is as excited about it as we are," said Patty.

And it seems most of the community is driving down the alleyway, daily, to get a good gawk at the building's progress.

Currently scrunched into 2,000 square feet, the store gets to stretch into 7,100 square feet of space this coming year.

With the new space will come new goods.

A limited selection of produce brimming out of a small wall cooler, will be replaced by a wealth of vegetable and fruit choices, including some organic items, said Patty.

And the hot cooker will be back -- once again serving L&P's popular pork ribs and chicken. The cooker went by the wayside when the store added more freezer space.

"Our freezer section will expand a lot," Patty said. "We'll bring in a bigger variety of what we have already."

Although the store won't add a bakery, it will offer a wide variety of "thaw and sell" bakery items.

There will also be room for such seasonal items as cards and wrapping paper.

But, L&P, like many mom-and-pop businesses on Main Street, faces challenges in this day of booming, big box stores

The Vosslers say they are placing their faith in Boulder.

"We've got good people in Boulder. People tell us 'thank you for being here.' " said Patty. "If you had to drive to Helena or Butte for a gallon of milk, that would be pretty sad."

The store also stocks other conveniences, from shampoo to baby formula to dog food to Tylenol.

And L&P offers personal service that box stores don't.

"We do home deliveries to the elderly," Patty said. "Some of them can't drive. Some of them can't go out. They call in and give us a list of groceries and we deliver them -- free."

And they know their customers.

Patty and Laurie greet their customers by name -- and also their families.

Patty grew up in the Clancy area. And Laurie moved to Boulder when he was in high school.

They left the area for almost 30 years, she said, but were anxious to move back.

"We wanted to be here and we wanted something to do," Patty said. "So we bought ourselves a job. We knew it would be hard work and we'd make it." They also wanted a business they could pass on to their sons, Luke and Lance.

They joke that they've been talking about building a new store ever since they purchased the business in June 2001.

What finally pushed the decision into high gear was the day one too many light bulbs burned out in the back room, Laurie recalled.

Fed up with the perpetually dying light bulbs, old wiring and a leaking roof, he called up his sons and told them to tear off the back room.

Then, there was no turning back.

During demolition, they discovered an 1830s ledger from the original store, bearing some of the same family names of folks who shop there today.

It's such loyal customers and their local bank who are making the Vosslers' new venture possible.

"We've been a huge advocate for the Vosslers with L&P Grocery ever since 2001," said Lee Swanson, president of the First Boulder Valley Bank. "The Vosslers are very hard working."

He sees the store as not only a successful business, but a timely boost to the downtown business district, as well.

"There's a certain amount of business people will stay home for," he said. "With a new facility, it will promote more of that. If Boulder folks have a nice, new facility, it will prompt them to spend more money in town."

"It will either work, or it won't," concluded Laurie. "We've got faith in Boulder. Our friends, our family and our little town -- that's all we need."

Reporter Marga Lincoln: marga.lincoln@helenair.com 447-4074