7 Brew, True?

On January 16, an article published in the Springfield Business Journal discussed rumors of the beloved coffee chain, 7 Brew, possibly coming here to Springfield, Illinois. Currently, there are 14 locations throughout the state, with the newest addition in Bolingbrook, completed just earlier this month. More often than not, cities wish for what they do not have access to. A popular FaceBook group, “217 Foodies”, frequently puts out surveys for members to vote on a popular franchise that they wish was available to the Springfield area. Success has been seen with the suggestions of group members; for example, getting a Raising Canes location. Raising Canes was a heavily discussed topic for years among Springfield residents who wished that they could fulfill the famous Cane’s sauce cravings without making the drive for it. Finally, in March of 2023, the franchise made its way to the heavily populated west side of the city. Now, there has been a strong push for the city to get a 7 Brew, especially after seeing the neighboring locations of Decatur and Jacksonville receive access to the chain. The Springfield Business Journal article, authored by Michelle Ownbey, writes that talk of 7 Brew coming to Springfield has a bit more backbone than the rumor previously was thought to have. According to Ownbey, the Sangamon County tax records show that a former restaurant space on the corner of Wabash Avenue and Veterans Parkway was sold earlier in November for $1.3 million to 2599 Wabash LLC. This limited liability company happens to be managed by Benito Hidalog, a Texas real estate investor who developed the first 7 Brew to come to Illinois in 2022. 7 Brew actually coming to Springfield would be a big addition to the city and would show massive success financially, especially the first couple of months of operation. All of this talk about Springfield seems like the location would only impact the city, but as a coffee-lover and high school student, 7 Brew would be huge for RHS. I, along with many others, am absolutely ecstatic every time I have the chance to get 7 Brew. Having a location in Springfield would certainly have me driving out to the west side as many mornings as I could to get a delicious breve based drink before school. After interviewing RHS students and staff, the support is strong and clear for the coffee! Sue Tucker, the beloved principal’s secretary, says, “I like that you can customize your drink!”, a feature that attracts many customers. RHS senior, Johnna Moffett, says she is “100% looking forward to it”. “I will make the drive every morning I have the time!” says Lyli Klobank, another senior at RHS. 7 Brew is most likely coming to Springfield, and Rochester will reap the joy! What drink will you buy first?