7 Brew, one of the fastest-growing coffee chains in the country with bragging rights to more than 20,000 drink variations, put down roots in Carpentersville this week.
After giving away a slew of small drinks for free during a soft opening last week (and more available Friday), the drive-thru/walk-up only business has settled into a steady flow despite being in the same strip mall at Randall and Miller roads as competitors Starbucks and Dunkin’, manager Luna Loubeau said.
“People seemed really happy. They really liked it,” Loubeau said of the early crowds who checked out the new 2280 N. Randall Road store. “We had a good response.”
One customer this week, an Algonquin resident who identified herself as Jacque S., said she was there on the recommendation of her daughter, who lives in Milwaukee.
“So I tried it and I do like it,” she said.
The service was “really good,” the drinks are “all reasonability priced,” and it’s convenient to where she works, she said.
Her drink of choice was a Banana Bread, which is a mix of banana and hazelnut mocha, one of the stores seven “original” coffee flavors.
But with a choice of nearly a dozen drink types, more than 50 flavors and six customization steps, the options are seemingly endless. In addition to the originals, 7 Brew also offers several featured drinks, seven classics, seven energy drinks and seven fizz sodas as well as lemonades, teas, chai, machta, smoothies and shakes. Cusomization includes number of shots, sweetness level, milk alternatives (oat, coconut and almond), toppings (cream, whipped cream and cold foam) and drizzle (white chocolate, dark chocolate and caramel).
Loubeau has worked at several 7 Brew franchises over the course of her career and says the wide array of choices is what gives the brand a “cult” appeal for some.
“We have 52 different flavors. We have a bunch of different types of drinks,” Loubeau said.
7 Brew also has secret menu flavors and items that you need to know to ask for, she said, as well as a rewards program that allows you to collect points to redeem for drinks, jackpot days with surprise handouts on the seventh day of the month, swag days (this Saturday, from 5:30 to 11 a.m., the Carpentersville location will be giving away free T-shirts with the purchase of a large drink), and other promotions, which they advertise on Facebook and Instagram.
Loubeau said every customer eventually finds their favorite drink.
“I like the Brew Frost energy with cream,” she said. “It’s blue raspberry, coconut and vanilla.”
There are a number 7 Brews in the suburban Illinois, including locations in the Elgin area in Algonquin, Huntley and Crystal Lake. Elgin is being considered for a new store, according to Senior Planner Damir Latinovic, but no plans have been announced.
The company was founded in 2017 in Arkansas, and now has more than 700 locations in 38 states, according to its website. According to Yelp, 7 Brew is the fastest-growing brand in 2026 and 244% growth last year.
7 Brew crew member Koda Fetzer was busy delivering drinks in the drive-thru on Monday but took a moment to give some advice on how to order.
“The more flavors, the better,” she said. “You can mix flavors. There’s so much you can do.”
Free small drinks are being offered Friday from 8 to 9 a.m., noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
