Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
A new drive-thru coffee chain is coming to Salem next week, bringing with it more than 20,000 drink combinations, a community-centered mission and more than 60 new jobs.
7 Brew will officially open its Salem location at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1. The store, located near Interstate 81, will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
“We’ve had immense success in Virginia already, and Salem just felt like the perfect next step,” said Turner Garza, 7 Brew’s director of development, noting thriving stores in Harrisonburg, Christiansburg and Lynchburg. “Salem has that quiet town feel, but it’s still a bustling area. The excitement and feedback we’ve gotten so far has made it all worth it.”
The Salem store will employ about 62 part-time workers, operating across three shifts each day. Customers can expect a double-lane drive-thru without windows, where team members take orders face-to-face with iPads to create what the company describes as a high-energy, personalized experience.
7 Brew has been introducing itself to the community with “drink drops,” delivering beverages to local businesses, and with its “Caffeine for a Cause” fundraiser. The Salem location’s opening-week charity partner is the Roanoke County Food Pantry. Instead of paying regular prices, customers are invited to make donations during the fundraiser weekend.
The store also has several promotions leading up to and following opening day:
Aug. 29–31: Friends and Family weekend with free small drinks from the menu.
Sept. 1–5: Community hours featuring free small drinks at select times of day.
Sept. 6: Grand Opening, where every customer who purchases a large drink will receive a free T-shirt.
In addition to coffee, the menu features teas, energy drinks, smoothies, shakes and more. For pet lovers, “pup cups” — and even treats for cats, goats and parrots — are available.
“What really makes us different is the atmosphere,” Garza said. “We believe we can cultivate kindness and make an impact on people’s days within these one- to two-minute exchanges. Kindness is contagious, and we want to be that spark in someone’s day.”
