From Whoppers to coffee and smoothies.
Brew Team Group LLC of Vestal, New York, and 7B Real Estate BT Holdings plan to build a 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee business at 1028 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Twp. The site recently housed a Burger King, which closed last week.
The plans call for the building to be demolished and a new 510-square-foot building to be constructed on the site, along with two drive-thru lanes covered by canopies, a detached cooler and accessory trash enclosure.
In addition to coffee, 7 Brew is known for its specialty drinks that include teas, fizz sodas, lemonades, smoothies, shakes and flavored energy drinks.
Rob Lewis, the attorney representing the franchise, said the location on a busy traffic corridor in the township means there is less impact on residential areas, particularly with its hours of operation. While hours vary by franchise, he said they generally open as early as 6 or 6:30 a.m. and operate as late as 10 p.m.
The company entered into a lease for the property over the summer.
“We’re looking forward to coming to Clarks Summit and South Abington Twp.,” Lewis said.
Founded in 2017 in Northwest Arkansas, the company grew rapidly with the help of investors and now has more than 700 locations in 38 states. The closest locations to Northeast Pennsylvania are in Reading, Selinsgrove and Binghamton, New York. Another location is planned for Wilkes-Barre Twp.
The company says its mission is “cultivating kindness” and “choosing connection — serving with heart, uplifting others, and creating small moments that can brighten someone’s day.”
One feature of the business is customers order face-to-face to an employee rather than using the traditional speaker boxes at most drive-thru establishments. Lewis said it adds a personal touch and speeds up service.
There would be no on-site seating for customers, and only employees and equipment would be inside the building, according to the application.
The developer is seeking a variance for lighting, brighter than the allowed amount in the township zoning ordinance. The application says the increased lighting is for customer and employee safety where monetary transactions occur, which the developer says is consistent with the nature and character of the surrounding commercial properties.
“We want to make sure people are safe,” Lewis said.
The township zoning hearing board will hear the request Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
The proposed South Abington Twp. business is the latest 7 Brews proposed in Northeast Pennsylvania. Brew Team Group LLC also plans to demolish the Sonic drive-in restaurant in Wilkes-Barre Twp., near the Wyoming Valley Mall, and build a 7 Brews restaurant on the site.