DRIVE-THRU BREWS: 7 Brew Coffee Officially Opens in E.C.
the official ribbon cutting for the drive-thru-only coffee joint happened on Sept. 13
author & photos by McKenna Scherer |
A drive-thru-only coffee shop, 7 Brew, landed in Eau Claire back in July – literally landing at 2405 N. Clairemont Ave., where the building was physically dropped on-site – and it’s now officially open following a ribbon-cutting and celebration on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
7 Brew has about 120 locations across the country, and Eau Claire is just its second in Wisconsin (the first was in Brookfield). It boasts 20,000-plus drink combinations across its iced and hot coffee drinks, smoothies, teas, shakes, energy drinks, and more. 7 Brew aims to revolutionize the coffee industry with its drive-thru concept by “serving premium coffee in record time” and “cultivating kindness and joy with every drink,” as stated on its website. It was originally founded in Arkansas.
While Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce members chatted with the owners and amongst themselves, the 7 Brew “brewistas” were quick at work, upbeat music and laughter coming from the coffee station as they whipped up one of their most popular drinks, The Blondie, for those at the celebration.
Besides its drive-thru-only model, what makes 7 Brew different from the plethora of local coffee joints and chains? According to owners Jonathan Lippincott and Kayla Smith and staff at the new coffee shop, 7 Brew genuinely follows through on its goals of kindness and quick service.
“The overall objective with 7 Brew really is – and I know this might sound like a cop-out, but it’s true! – to bring kindness and joy to the community, and spread it. We use coffee to do that, but at the core, we want to spread kindness,” Lippincott said.
Lauren Fowler, a manager of a 7 Brew location in Arkansas, has been visiting Eau Claire as she helps train the new crew. As a longtime 7 Brew customer and now an employee, she said the hype around the coffee joint is real.
“(7 Brew) is not hyped up for no reason,” she said. “It’s genuinely really good coffee, it’s consistent, and there are so many options. Even as high up as corporate, the people there always say, ‘We do not sell coffee, we sell an experience.’ The coffee is almost the bonus of coming to 7 Brew. We just want to make people’s day when they come here.”
After traveling back and forth between Arkansas and Wisconsin for nearly two years in preparation for franchising in Eau Claire, franchise owners Lippincott and Smith now live in the Chippewa Valley, and despite being pedal-to-the-metal busy with 7 Brew, they have also been able to enjoy the area’s parks and local events. They said they have been surprised at the amount of live music nearly every day and have tried to soak up all of the outdoor time they can, including going to Sounds Like Summer concerts in Phoenix Park and exploring Big Falls.
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THE COFFEE IS ALMOST THE BONUS OF COMING TO 7 BREW. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE’S DAY WHEN THEY COME HERE.
“When we were visiting (Eau Claire), we would ask people how they liked living here and everybody said ‘Oh, we love it,’ and that was unusual, hearing so many people say that,” Lippincott said. “Now, we get it. We’re so thankful to be here.”
Experiencing the staple “Midwest nice” atmosphere of the community – and getting used to hearing Northern accents, the owners laughed – has been even more positive than they could have imagined. Lippincott calls the journey so far “a dream.”
The owners noted their favorites include the Blondie as well as the Funnel Cake Macchiato. One of the staff members encouraged people to seek out “secret menu items” that others have shared online, including the Beyoncé Mocha, which is a blend of the Blondie and Brunette drinks.
The 7 Brew menu is sectioned off into The Seven Originals, Classics, Smoothies, Seven Fizz, and others. With so many different flavor options, everyone is bound to discover a personal favorite! Oat, almond, and coconut milk alternatives are also offered alongside sugar-free options, extra espresso, and varying sweetness levels.
The new coffee shop is holding a “Swag Day” event on Saturday, Sept. 16, when it will offer a free 7 Brew T-shirt to those who purchase large drinks.
The drive-thru coffee joint is open seven days a week, Sunday-Thursday from 5:30am-10pm and Friday-Saturday from 5:30am-11pm.
Learn more about 7 Brew by visiting its website. Try its variety of drinks yourself by visiting the new local location at 2405 N. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire.
