Fast-growing chain 7 Brew Coffee, which operates mostly drive-thru-only shops, is including Long Island in its expansion into new markets.
The Springdale, Arkansas-based chain, which nearly doubled its number of coffee stands to more than 600 last year, plans to enter Long Island with at least two locations — in East Meadow and Selden.
The Town of Hempstead has approved building plans for the construction of a freestanding 7 Brew shop in East Meadow, according to town spokesman Casey P. Sammon.
The Town of Brookhaven has not received building plans for a 7 Brew planned for a Selden shopping center, spokesman Drew Scott said. But the landlord’s webpage for the shopping center, called Independence Plaza, shows a 7 Brew shop on the site plan.
The coffee chain declined to comment specifically about its Long Island plans.
“As part of our continued growth, we regularly evaluate locations in communities across the country, including the New York area. Current plans are still being evaluated and details will be available once finalized,” 7 Brew spokesman Doug Terfehr said in an email.
Long Island plans
The coffee chain’s East Meadow shop is planned for 2545 Hempstead Tpke., Sammon said in an email.
Building plans for the East Meadow shop were submitted for approval to the Town of Hempstead in November, he said. The plans call for a 510-square-foot, freestanding building and a 240-square-foot storage unit to be built on the parking lot adjacent to an existing, 50,000-square-foot office building, called UA Plaza.
The coffee shop would have three drive-thru lanes but no indoor seating, Sammon said.
The Hempstead town board approved the site plan for the shop July 7, and the town’s board of zoning and appeals approved variances for a drive-thru and accessory storage unit April 24, he said.
Additional documentation is needed from the applicant before building permits can be issued, he said.
The applicant is Dave Shah, president of the company that owns the property, UNS Management Associates Ltd. in Huntington.
Shah declined to comment.
Kimco Realty Corp. is a Jericho-based real estate investment trust that owns Independence Plaza on Middle Country Road at Boyle Road in Selden. On Kimco’s website, a posted site plan for the shopping center shows that a 7 Brew would occupy a 510-square-foot, freestanding building on the property.
Kimco declined to comment.
It is unclear when the East Meadow and Selden shops would open.
7 Brew fourth-largest coffee player
The vast majority of 7 Brew’s nearly 800 shops are drive-thru-only locations — lacking indoor service and seating. However, the chain opened its first two locations with walk-thru service last year inside a Walmart Supercenter in Springdale, Arkansas, and at The Ohio State University in Columbus.
Founded in 2017 in Rogers, Arkansas, 7 Brew originally offered only seven drinks, which was the inspiration for the company’s name. Its menu now has more than 20,000 possible drink combinations in seven categories, including coffees, energy drinks, sodas and smoothies, according to the company.
The chain was purchased in 2020 by an entrepreneurial group, led by now-CEO John Davidson, that owns 7 Brew under parent company Brew Culture LLC. Blackstone Inc., a Manhattan-based alternative asset manager, acquired a minority stake in 7 Brew in 2024.
A fast-growing chain that is expanding mostly through a franchise model, 7 Brew opened more than 280 coffee stands last year. The number of stands rose to 777 in 38 states in June, with the locations opening this year including shops in San Antonio; Portsmouth, Virginia; Salisbury, Maryland; Monroe, Michigan; Clark, New Jersey; and Apple Valley, Minnesota.
“Reaching 777 stands is more than a milestone, it’s a reflection of the incredible momentum behind 7 Brew and the people and communities that continue to fuel our growth across the country,” Chris Dawson, president of 7 Brew, said in a statement June 10.
Now, 7 Brew is the fourth-largest coffee player in the United States, ranking behind Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros Coffee, said Kevin Schimpf, senior director of industry research at Technomic, a Chicago-based restaurant industry research firm.
Last year, 7 Brew’s sales totaled $1.2 billion, a 139% increase from $502 million in 2024, according to Technomic.
One of the two major reasons for the brand’s growth is Blackstone’s investment in 2024, Schimpf said.
The coffee chain also has been able to push growth quickly because it has been expanding in states that are undersaturated by Starbucks and other major coffee chains, including Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky and Texas, Schimpf said.
