OBSERVER Photos by Braden CarmenFrom left, Dunkirk Town Councilmen Phil Leone and Robert Price listen to a presentation from 7 Brew corporate representative Rebecca Brown and 7 Brew franchisee Gaurav Aggarwal at a recent Dunkirk Town Board meeting.
But before 7 Brew can pull customers away from Tim Hortons, Dunkin’ Donuts, and the new Starbucks currently in construction all located on Vineyard Drive less than a mile away, with another Tim Hortons up the road, the Town of Dunkirk needs to sign off on 7 Brew’s plans to call Dunkirk home.
7 Brew certainly went the extra mile to attract the Town Board. 7 Brew corporate representative Rebecca Brown flew in from the corporate office in Arkansas to attend a recent Dunkirk Town Board meeting. At her side was 7 Brew franchisee Gaurav Aggarwal, who drove to the meeting from Cleveland, Ohio.
7 Brew is eyeing a location in Plaza 59 in the Town of Dunkirk, located on Bennett Road next to the thruway entrance. The same plaza welcomed Planet Fitness less than a year ago, and a Popeyes fast-food restaurant is currently in construction.
“We are excited to bring 7 Brew to Bennett Road in Plaza 59,” Aggarwal said.
Pictured is the proposed site for a 7 Brew drive-through coffee shop in Plaza 59 in the Town of Dunkirk. If approved by the Town Board, the former Lightning Lube building would be demolished.
7 Brew is in negotiations with the landlord to lease the land and a site plan is being developed for a double-lane drive-through, with a walk-up window also available to order from. The business would supply 45-50 jobs.
If approved by the Town Board, the former Lightning Lube building, which has been vacant for many years, would be demolished and a new building will take its place. The 7 Brew location would be a prefabricated building, which could be installed and hooked up within days after the preparation for the site is completed. The target for opening is the end of March 2025.
7 Brew was founded in 2017 with a focus on providing a friendly customer experience. As stated on the company’s website, “At 7 Brew, it’s about the connections we make. We believe people are priceless, so we treat them like it. Our goal is to make your visit the happiest part of your day.”
Aggarwal joked, “We are like Starbucks, but we are way cooler than Starbucks.”
Although the brand is focused on coffee, more than 20,000 drink combinations are available at 7 Brew, including teas, smoothies, and handcrafted sodas. Drinks can be hot, iced, or blended. Muffins are also on the menu, with future food options currently being evaluated.
Brown joined the company approximately a year after it was founded. She has seen the company grow to over 250 locations nationwide, and now 7 Brew is looking at Western New York as it continues to expand. 7 Brew is also working to establish locations in Lockport, Amherst and Williamsville.
“We are built on cultivating kindness, so we try to pick neighborhoods that would help reflect that,” Brown said.
Different from the traditional drive-through coffee shops in the area that 7 Brew hopes to compete with, 7 Brew is designed where a vehicle drives up and is greeted by a staff member outside their vehicle to take their order. 7 Brew uses that approach with the intent that as customers become regulars, staff members can continue to foster the relationship with their customers with each visit.
“You’ll see every single one of our team members will have a great connection with all of our customers,” Brown said. “You see someone’s car pulling in, you know what they are going to drink, and you start making their drink so when they pull up to the window, you have exactly what they want every single time. We’re all about making those connections with people.”
7 Brew hopes to do more than just build relationships through the drive-through experience. The company fosters a 7 Brew Heroes campaign to highlight community members near their locations. Each month, a hero is selected from one of the 7 Brew communities and receives a $500 donation and a year of free coffee. Each year, a Hero of the Year is selected to receive a $10,000 grand prize. 7 Brew also regularly contributes to the Children’s Miracle Network of Hospitals.
Once site plans are officially presented, 7 Brew will await a Planning Board recommendation to be offered to the Town Board. If the project is approved by the Town Board and the projected timeline holds, 7 Brew could open within the same timeframe as Starbucks, which has begun construction on its drive-through lane in the Tops plaza less than a mile away.
“We love new businesses coming into the Town,” said Priscilla Penfold, Town of Dunkirk Supervisor.
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