A national coffee chain received approval for its plan to open a drive-thru location in Auburn.
The Auburn Planning Board on Tuesday signed off on the site plan application for 7 Brew Coffee, an Arkansas-based chain that has more than 420 locations in the U.S.
The board's vote followed an initial review of 7 Brew's application at the July meeting. The company plans to demolish the former Rite-Aid store at 153 Grant Ave. and replace it with a 540-square-foot building and a detached outdoor cooler.
There were some updates to 7 Brew's site plan application. The changes addressed stormwater mitigation and the city's request for more trees to be planted around the property.
The drive-thru will have a capacity to queue 27 vehicles with 19 parking spaces on site. The location will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. It will be open until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.聽
Four to six employees will work during each shift. Some employees would meet the cars in the drive-thru and take their orders using a tablet.
Jim Valentine, who represented 7 Brew at the July meeting, said site access would remain the same. The former Rite-Aid location has entrances from Grant and Standart avenues.
A national chain that was founded in 2017, 7 Brew has locations in other upstate New York cities. The drive-thru coffee shop serves espresso-based drinks, energy drinks, smoothies and a limited food menu.
Nick Vidal, 7 Brew's director of operations, described the company as "the Chick-fil-A of coffee" in an interview with 狐狸视频色版.
The approval of the site plan will allow 7 Brew to obtain the building permits necessary for the work at 153 Grant Ave.
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 664-4631 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on X @RobertHarding.
