Caffeine-reliant college students and specialty drink lovers alike have a new coffee option in the La Crosse area. 7 Brew, a coffee business aiming to change how customers experience drive-thru coffee service, has opened in La Crosse on Mormon Coulee Road.
This location becomes the second 7 Brew in Western Wisconsin and the second location under the ownership of franchisees Johnathan and Kayla Lippincott.
Previously owners of a Planet Fitness in Missouri, the couple was already familiar with 7 Brew’s drive-thru coffee stands. They often went out of their way to visit various 7 Brew locations in its hub, Arkansas, before the business opportunity arose.
“Whenever Kayla and I would take road trips, we’d stop in different cities to explore the coffee options. It made the journey more enjoyable,” said Johnathan. “At the same time, we were looking for a fun and fulfilling business opportunity, and 7 Brew filled both of those things.”
With over 20,000 drink combinations 7 Brew keeps coffee fun—a key characteristic that the owners emphasized as central to the brand and its operations.
Menu items range from speciality coffees, like the cinnamon roll latte, to 7 Brew’s original energy drink that can be infused with any flavor. Kayla explained there is no shortage of drinks, especially with dairy-free and sugar-free options to accommodate a wide range of customer preferences.
While 20,000 options can be overwhelming, 7 Brew has seven original coffee based drinks to narrow down the choices for customers. The La Crosse stands’s two most popular orders thus far have been the Blondie, a mix of vanilla and caramel favors, or a sweet and salty latte, with salted caramel and white chocolate.
“So that is really important to us: customizable drinks and then also focusing on the customer aspect,” said Kayla.
7 Brew’s motto, “Cultivating Kindness,” is brought to life across its more than 300 locations nationwide, making it a key responsibility for employees to create a conversational and welcoming atmosphere.
Employees rotate through roles throughout the day, alternating between making drinks and managing the double-lane drive-thru outside. Outside positions, called the Texting Position and Lane Position, are crucial to upholding 7 Brew’s motto.
“Those are really important positions within 7 Brew because we really focus on genuine interactions,” said Kayla.
The majority of employees at the La Crosse 7 Brew stand are University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students and the Lippincotts were not shy to boast about the quality of the staff there.
Johnathan shared that the La Crosse stand set new records when it came to the Brewista Test—an original 7 Brew assessment given to new hires before they begin work.
“It is not an easy thing to pass and we had more people pass faster than any 7 Brew in history,” said Johnathan. “That just speaks to the quality of our team there.”
As new members of the community, 7 Brew looks for ways to engage with other businesses and organizations. During the ribbon cutting ceremony on opening day, the La Crosse stand cut a check to Better Together, an organization committed to improving the mental health of adolescents in La Crosse County.
In addition to the monetary donation, 7 Brew gave away 10,000 drinks to the community during their opening process and in the future will lead drink drops to nurses and teachers on national days where people in those professions are honored.
From Jan 27-31, 7 Brew will hold community hours. During the hours of 7-8 a.m., 12-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m., the La Crosse stand will offer free small drinks to customers during that week.
The franchisees are anticipating opening another location in the area along with 21 others, spanning from Wausau to Stevens Point to Rochester.
“Our favorite thing about it is the people. Joining these communities…it has just been so fun and our teams mean the world to us,” said Johnathan.
7 Brew’s normal hours are from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday and extented until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
