Drive-Thru Coffee Chain Sets Sights on 27th Street
7 Brew Coffee is planning its first Milwaukee location.
3702 S. 27th St. Photo taken Feb. 12, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
7 Brew Coffee, a drive-thru cafe chain, is bringing its first location to Milwaukee, according to a series of permit requests recently submitted to the city.
The coffee shop is planned for a half-acre site at 3702 S. 27th St., formerly home to Wong’s Wok, which closed in early 2024.
MilBrew Holdings, LLC, with design firm Excel Engineering, plans to raze the former Chinese restaurant to make way for the project, which includes a 510-square-foot cafe, 250-square-foot cooler building, outdoor patio, two drive-thru lanes and 19 parking spaces, the proposal notes. The site is located in front of a Dollar Tree store.
7 Brew Coffee uses modular construction to pre-build many of its cafes off-site, with the components later assembled on location. The approach speeds the rate of expansion, as new cafes seemingly pop up overnight.
Nearby cafes operate in Mount Pleasant and Brookfield, with further expansion planned across the state.
7 Brew got its start in 2017, serving seven original coffee drinks from a stand in Rogers, Arkansas. Since then, the chain has expanded to nearly 400 locations nationwide, according to its website.
The menu has grown, too, now featuring shakes, smoothies, lemonades, teas, flavored sparkling water and energy drinks. Coffee offerings include cold brew, lattes, mochas, breves, macchiatos and drip, along with the chain’s “originals” — signature drinks that can be made with up to six shots of espresso.
All beverages are highly customizable, with options for sweetness level, cold foam, milk alternatives and a wide selection of syrups and sauces, both traditional and sugar-free.
The 27th Street Wong’s Wok was the final location for the family-owned chain, which operated for 45 years and once had as many as 13 restaurants.
Two previous locations have already been replaced by new tenants. A combination Dunkin’ and Taco Pros recently opened at 242 E. Capitol Dr., while Mad Chicken took over the location at 7424 W. Appleton Ave.
A representative of 7 Brew did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
