Good to the last ‘drop’: New coffee shop lowered by crane to South Strabane location
A national chain of drive-thru coffee shops “dropped” a new location into South Strabane Township Wednesday as the business expands into Western Pennsylvania.
The prefabricated 7 Brew Coffee was lowered into place via a crane at the Old Mill shopping center. Who Brew LLC, the regional franchisee for 7 Brew, also installed a building at the Renaissance Circle Shops in Indiana, Pa.
The company issued a press release seeking media coverage of the “drop” to take place at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. However, mechanical issues with the crane delayed the event until later in the day.
Both of the new locations are scheduled to open their doors at some point this summer, according to Preston Ciranni, a Pittsburgh-based marketing agent.
“‘(Wednesday’s) building drop represents one of the final stages of construction before we begin equipment installation and team member training,” Ciranni said in an email.
According to Ciranni, 7 Brew offers customizable drinks including coffee, energy drinks and smoothies. He said they are “redefining the drive-through coffee experience.”
“Unlike traditional cafes, we don’t offer indoor seating – our entire model is built around speed, energy and personalization from the comfort of your car,” Ciranni said.
Who Brew CEO Laura Karet said in a statement that while Who Brew does not “serve food items like sandwiches or salads, we do offer muffin tops to complement” items on the beverage menu.
7 Brew launched its first location in Rogers, Ariz., with its sevecn original coffees, and now has more than 400 stands in 33 states.
The prefabricated structure was built in Providence, N.C. It was then delivered to the Old Mill on a flatbed truck, where it sat in the parking lot until it was time for installation.
Ciranni said this “streamlines the construction process.”
“Because the building is constructed off-site, we can simultaneously prepare the site – including grading, utility connections and permitting – while the structure is being built,” Ciranni said.
Kristin Hullihen, the director of planning and zoning in South Strabane, said no additional permitting was required of 7 Brew for their unusual construction method beyond their building permit.
“They discussed the size of the crane and everything at planning commission. So the planning commission had a heads-up and knew what was going on with that,” Hullihen said.
Once it opens, 7 Brew will operate at 189 Old Mill Boulevard from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“We’re honored to bring the 7 Brew experience to Western Pennsylvania,” Karet said in a statement. “We’re investing in these communities, creating local jobs and building something for the people who live here.”
Former staff writer Rick Shrum contributed to this story.