Elgin commission nixes proposal for 7 Brew Coffee on Summit Street

Elgin Planning and Zoning commissioners rejected a bid from a developer to bring a 7 Brew Coffee to Summit Street, citing concerns about the high traffic volume the popular drive-through coffee shop creates and whether the neighborhood could handle it.

The commission voted 4-3 not to recommend Who Brew LLC’s proposal at the southwest corner of Summit Street and North Shady Oaks Drive.

Who Brew LLC has opened 47 locations across the Midwest and has 13 active construction sites in the Chicago area, Christopher George, representing Who Brew, said. The closest locations are in Carpentersville, Algonquin, and Huntley. He said a new 7 Brew is under construction in St. Charles.

7 Brew Coffee, which has 900 locations around the country, has been expanding throughout the Northwest suburbs, offering coffee, teas, infused energy drinks, sodas, and smoothies.

Its Elgin location would be on two vacant lots totaling 0.93 acres. Plans call for 7 Brew’s trademark 1,083-square-foot building, a drive-through, and a long queue area. A new amenity not found at other locations would be an outdoor seating area. It would face Summit Street.

Who Brew is making site improvements that include new public sidewalks, new utilities, and extensive landscaping, Senior Planner Damir Latinovic said at the Oct. 5 meeting. The drive-through lanes would be hidden behind the building.

The property doesn’t have access to Summit Street, so 7 Brew’s entrance and exit would be on N. Shady Oaks Drive. There are seven single-family homes on N. Shady Oaks Drive. Across the street, north of the property, are a Chase Bank and a Jewel-Osco.

7 Brew is seeking rezoning from residential to commercial use. The classification would be allowed and is shown on the city’s future land use map, Latinovic said.

Scott Hume lives on the corner of Summit Street and Shady Oaks. He feels like 7 Brew is trying to cram its building into the neighborhood.

“It’s a residential neighborhood. We won’t be able to park on the street,” Hume said.

Hume gave the commission a petition with signatures of people opposing the idea.

“I think this could be better down the road,” Hume said. “I think a huge lot would be more fitting for the amount of traffic you generate.”

Hume used the example of 7 Brew’s Labor Day promotion that caused widespread traffic jams at its locations.

The promotion is part of what 7 Brew calls “Jackpot Day,” a giveaway held monthly. On Labor Day weekend, people waited in line for hours at some locations for a limited-edition Brew Doh, a squishy fidget toy by Neato. Police were called out at some sites to handle traffic and clear roadways.

P&Z Commissioner Sam Olson said a lot of people on social media are excited about the idea of having a 7 Brew in Elgin. He’s also heard excitement from neighbors, he said.

But “I’m not a big fan of the site plan,” Olson said.

Olson is concerned about traffic causing bottlenecks and other issues.

The drive-through lanes are large enough to “stack” 36 vehicles, and a bypass lane can fit an additional seven vehicles, Latinovic said. It’ll have 15 parking spaces for employees. During peak hours, franchises have 27 to 31 vehicles in the queue, according to the company’s data.

Independent consultants, hired by the city, reviewed the plans and found the traffic expected to be generated can be absorbed by surrounding roadways with minimal impact to existing traffic, Latinovic said.

An estimated 70% of 7 Brew customers are already traveling on surrounding roadways, and it only generates about 30% in additional traffic, company officials said.

Most franchises have 750 orders a day, George said. There are some 7 Brew shops that are busier, like Naperville, but the traffic is diminishing at many locations as more franchises open, he said.

While the commission didn’t give its recommendation for the city council to pass the proposal, the council could approve it anyway if the proposal is presented at any upcoming city council meeting. Who Brew officials weren’t available for comment about the proposal.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The (Elgin) Courier-News.