Four months after opening on Highway 9, the 7 Brew drive-through coffee stand in Milton is drawing enough traffic that the chain is already expanding elsewhere in North Atlanta.
Gwinnett County issued a commercial-development permit July 14 for a new 7 Brew at 5942 Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill, according to the North Atlanta Star. The developer is Rocket Brew Inc., which operates 7 Brew locations across the region. The Milton location at 12875 Highway 9 opened Monday, March 30, and held a ribbon-cutting with city officials shortly after.
The Milton stand drew heavy customer traffic almost immediately, the City of Milton noted on its official Facebook page on April 1. During its opening weekend, the location raised more than $3,000 for Ruff Dog Rescue, a local animal rescue organization, according to Appen Media.
A growing corridor
The Milton and Sugar Hill locations are part of a broader drive-through beverage wave along the GA-400 corridor. At least three stand-alone drive-through coffee operations now serve the area: 7 Brew on Highway 9 in Milton, a second 7 Brew near the Mall of Georgia in Buford, and Ellianos Coffee at 1200 Town Green Circle in Cumming, which opened in 2023.
Ellianos, a Florida-founded chain, has grown to 75 locations across four southeastern states and has more than 200 additional sites in development, according to a company announcement in March.
Cafe Lavande, a French and Persian sit-down café at 13087 GA-9, operates roughly a mile north of the 7 Brew stand on the same highway, offering a dine-in alternative for residents who prefer a slower coffee experience.
The drive-through model
The 7 Brew format is built for suburban commuters. A typical stand occupies roughly 500 square feet, uses two drive-through lanes, and skips traditional café seating entirely. Employees approach vehicles and take orders on tablets rather than using outdoor speakers. Customers spend an average of 8.7 minutes per visit, compared to 10 minutes at Dutch Bros and 13.8 minutes at Starbucks, according to Placer.ai data cited by CNN.
The menu goes well beyond espresso. 7 Brew offers energy drinks, teas, lemonades, smoothies, shakes, and flavored sodas, with more than 20,000 possible drink combinations. Most customizations carry no additional charge.
National growth, local footprint
The chain is growing fast. 7 Brew entered 2022 with just 14 locations. After a growth equity investment from Blackstone in 2024, it has expanded to more than 700 stands in 38 states, opening its 777th in June. Annual sales jumped from $502 million in 2024 to nearly $1.2 billion in 2025, CNN reported.
The Sugar Hill site had been zoned for residential use before the city approved its conversion to general business last fall. Approved conditions include an undisturbed buffer at the rear of the property and no outdoor ordering speakers. No opening date has been announced.
The Milton stand is open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
