7 Brew brings new coffee option to Rome

ROME — Rome has a new coffee option — more than 20,000 coffee options, actually — now that 7 Brew has opened its newest drive-through coffee stand at 201 Erie Blvd. The location marks the fifth for franchise group Brew Team NY, LLC, says Nick Vidal, director of operations and operating partner for the group. “We’re a rapidly growing coffee brand, and we’re revolutionizing the customer experience,” he says of 7 Brew, which is headquartered in Arkansas. The company is known for its speed of service, the quality of its coffee, and especially for the overall friendliness of employees, he says. The brand’s brews start with the “7 originals” which include flavors such as caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, white chocolate, and mocha. But the flavors go beyond that, Vidal says, with more than 20,000 flavor combinations available for coffee lovers. “We even have our own energy drink,” he adds. The coffee stand also sells flavored sparkling water, teas, lemonades, smoothies, and even shakes. What they don’t sell is a full menu of food, Vidal says. There is a selection of pre-packaged muffin tops available for those who want a snack along with their beverage, but that’s it. It ties back to their goal of providing quick service. “We handcraft every drink that’s made,” Vidal says, and the goal is to have customers on their way with their drink in less than five minutes. “We understand that our customers have places to go.” The 7 Brew in Rome formally opened on Feb. 3 and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 5. During the event, 7 Brew presented a $6,112 donation to Northern Rivers Foster Care. Funds for the donation were raised the week before the official opening when 7 Brew invited people to stop by for a drink in exchange for a ‘pay what you want’ donation. Other opening festivities included a “swag day” on Feb. 8, where everyone who purchased a large drink received a free 7 Brew T-shirt. “We have a lot of fun that day,” Vidal says. “There’s a lot of energy.” That fun and energy is part of the everyday experience at 7 Brew, he adds, and that’s part of what sets them apart from the competition. Another thing that sets them apart is the strictly to-go concept. “We’re not a coffee house,” Vidal says. While customers can walk inside to order a beverage, there is no indoor seating area. “A lot of our customers are not looking for a place to hang out.” The to-go concept allows the stand to operate very efficiently from just under 500 square feet, he adds. Each stand is a modular building that’s brought to site and quick to set up. “It doesn’t take a whole lot of time to put it up,” Vidal says. What does take time, he adds, is preparing a team of more than 50 part-time employees and one full-time manager to run the Rome location. The team prepares for about a month before the location opens, Vidal says, so they are ready to hit the ground running on day one. Along with the Rome location, Brew Team NY operates 7 Brew franchises in New Hartford, Cortland, Colonie, Cortland, and Johnstown. “We’re very busy with openings,” Vidal says. “We’ll open at least another five this year.” Brew Team NY’s franchise area spans across Upstate and Central New York from Albany to Rochester, as far south as Cortland, and as far north as Watertown. Another franchise team operates the two other 7 Brew locations, which are in Vestal and Binghamton, and a third franchise team covers the Buffalo area. The Rome 7 Brew location is open Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

About 7 Brew

On its website, the company says: “7 Brew was born from a desire to change drive-thru coffee into a fun, mind-blowing experience for everyone. We dreamed of serving premium coffee in record time and making new friends while we’re at it. The dream came alive with our first “stand” in Rogers, Arkansas and our 7 original coffees.” There are currently nearly 350 locations of 7 Brew across the U.S.