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📸 Credit: St. Charles Plan Commission agenda
A drive-thru-only coffee chain with a cult following in the suburbs is one step closer to opening at Prairie Centre in St. Charles.
The city’s Plan Commission recommended approval last week for a new 7 Brew Coffee location along Route 38. The project still needs City Council sign-off, but the franchisee is targeting an August 21 opening if approvals proceed.
Here's what to know:
What it is: 7 Brew is a double drive-thru coffee concept with no indoor seating. Employees take orders on at your car window, and the menu is almost entirely beverages. It's become a social media staple, especially with younger customers who customize drinks they've seen on TikTok or Instagram.
Where it's going: The 1K+ square-foot building would sit on a newly subdivided lot at the northwest corner of Route 38 and Wright Boulevard, just south of the Jewel. Construction is slated to begin as early as this month if City Council approves.
Naperville intel: The Naperville location (the top-performing 7 Brew in the country) drew lines so long the franchisee had to opt out of corporate promotions to keep traffic manageable. For St. Charles, they've hired a traffic engineering firm and committed to on-site traffic personnel during opening weeks.
What's next: The recommendation for approval comes with minor conditions on landscaping and signage that must be resolved before City Council acts.
The St. Charles location would be among the first 30 7 Brew locations open in the Chicagoland area.
Learn more about the proposed plans beginning on page 47 of this agenda document.
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