Drive-by building with temperature-controlled exterior display cabinets

Abstract

A building for use as a drive-by retail store, including a floor, a roof, a plurality of walls extending from the floor to the roof and defining a perimeter, at least one access door, and at least one cashier's station located at one end of the building. The perimeter is substantially formed by a plurality of temperature-controlled display cabinets, wherein the display cabinets have transparent exterior walls and interior access doors.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A building for use as a retail store, said building comprising: 
 a floor;    a roof;    a plurality of walls extending from said floor to said roof, said walls defining a perimeter of said building;    at least one access door located within one of said walls; and    a plurality of display cabinets each having an interior, a substantially transparent exterior wall, and an interior service door, said service door adapted for accessing said interior of said display cabinet from an interior of said building, said plurality of display cabinets together forming a substantial portion of said perimeter; and    at least one cashier's station located within said building, said cashier's station having an access opening in one of said plurality of walls.    
     
     
         2 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an awning extending outwards from said roof.  
     
     
         3 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an employee break area located within said interior of said building.  
     
     
         4 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising lighting means operably connected to each of said plurality of display cabinets  
     
     
         5 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising temperature-controlling means operably connected to each of said plurality of display cabinets.  
     
     
         6 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of display cabinets each have side walls, further comprising insulating means engaging said side walls.  
     
     
         7 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means carried by each of said display cabinets for connecting a wall of one of said plurality of display cabinets to an adjacent wall of another of said display cabinets.  
     
     
         8 . The building as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substantially transparent exterior wall is made of a vandal-resistant material.  
     
     
         9 . A temperature-controlled display cabinet, said display cabinet comprising. 
 a housing having 
 a top wall,  
 a bottom wall,  
 a pair of spaced-apart side walls,  
 a substantially transparent front wall, and  
 a rear wall, said side walls, said front wall, and said rear wall extending from said top wall to said bottom wall and together defining a perimeter of said display cabinet,  
   a service door in said rear wall, said service door adapted for accessing said interior of said display cabinet,    temperature-controlling means operably connected to said interior; and    lighting means operably connected to said interior.    
     
     
         10 . The display cabinet as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising insulating means engaging said side walls.  
     
     
         11 . The display cabinet as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising means carried by each of said side walls for connecting a side wall of said display cabinet to an adjacent side wall of another display cabinet.  
     
     
         12 . The display cabinet as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said substantially transparent front wall is made of a vandal-resistant material.  
     
     
         13 . The display cabinet as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising at least one shelf in said interior.  
     
     
         14 . The display cabinet as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising at least one adjustable shelf in said interior.