7 Brew opens Port Charlotte stand with 20K drink options

Southwest Florida coffee drinkers now have thousands of new ways to caffeinate, hydrate and indulge. 

On Sept. 23, 7 Brew Coffee opened its first Port Charlotte stand at 4275 S. Tamiami Trail, in front of the Town & Country Shopping Center anchored by Publix. The drive-thru coffee chain celebrated its grand opening with free drinks, a community donation and plenty of buzz about its expansive menu. 

Founded in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2017, 7 Brew has built a national reputation for variety. The chain claims 20,000 drink combinations, including coffee, tea, smoothies, shakes, lemonades and sparkling waters. While “brewistas” — the company’s term for servers — don’t memorize each option, they do master the brand’s seven signature creations. 

Those “7 Originals” include the Blondie, a caramel and vanilla breve; the Brunette, a hazelnut and caramel mocha; Smooth 7, a white chocolate and Irish cream breve; Cinnamon Roll, made with white chocolate and brown sugar cinnamon; White Chocolate Mocha; German Chocolate, with coconut and caramel mocha; and Sweet & Salty, a salted caramel and white chocolate breve. 

Orders are placed with an iPad system that displays ingredients and prompts servers to ask about milk preferences, such as almond, coconut or low-fat options. Unlike most drive-thru chains, customers don’t order through a speaker box. Instead, servers approach each car directly to take orders. 

“We call them brewistas, not baristas,” said Madden Montgomery, 7 Brew’s director of new stores, who was on-site for the opening.  

The brand also seeks to build ties beyond the drive-thru. During the grand opening, 7 Brew presented the Animal Welfare League with a $1,500 donation. Community giving is a cornerstone of the business model, said Mitch Stutler, director of Florida stand operations. 

“The best way to introduce the brand is to meet people face to face,” Stutler said. “We’re OK to lose money” on free drinks in the short term, he added, because the company believes many visitors will become repeat customers. 

In the days leading up to the opening, 7 Brew employees handed out free drinks across the community at schools, businesses and hospitals. The company’s customer service approach is modeled in part after Chick-fil-A, Montgomery said, with an emphasis on personal interaction and smiles. 

“Our customers are never going to talk through a microphone. Our servers will come to your window to take your order,” Stutler said. 

The Port Charlotte stand already has exceeded its hiring projections. Stutler had estimated 50 local jobs would be created, but the workforce has grown to about 70. 

Among them is General Manager Tyler Lyons, who lives in Englewood and previously worked in local restaurants before joining 7 Brew. Hiring and Training Director Ella Kirkpatrick, who started with the company as a barista in the Panhandle, has been preparing new staff for the launch. She introduced seven employees who are being trained as future trainers: Paige Jones, Ariana Perez, Landree Hodgson, Xavier Amaro, Ariena Sanchez, Sam See and Addysen Kaltz. 

The Port Charlotte franchise is owned by a Texas-based LLC, whose principals do not live in Florida and will not work on-site. Instead, day-to-day operations are overseen by the local team. 

7 Brew has expanded rapidly in the eight years since its founding. The company has grown to 485 stands across the U.S. as of late September, according to its website. Another location is planned for North Port. 

Montgomery, who lives in Panama City, said the brand’s growth has kept him constantly on the road. “It’s expanded all over the nation,” he said. 

The Port Charlotte stand operates daily from early morning until about 10 or 11 p.m.