Coffee, teas, and lemonades are drinks that will never go out of style. Many people have their go-to orders that they look forward to and crave. However, how many of these refreshment places are really necessary in one single town?
On Aug. 15, Scooter’s Coffee, an American chain known for its coffees, smoothies, pastries, and breakfast items, opened in Lockport off of Ninth street. So far, it has been getting decent business and there is usually at least a small line. There are also locations nearby in New Lenox, Bolingbrook, and Naperville.
Similarly, another new fun drink place, 7 Brew Coffee, opened in Lockport. Their soft opening occurred on Sep. 8–less than a month after the opening of Scooters. Since these two places are very similar with their menu items, flavors, and locations, this leaves some questions as to how both of the businesses will adjust and react.
The first problem is that these two coffee companies sell very similar drinks. Both Scooters and 7 Brew are known for their coffee, teas, energy drinks, and lemonades. They both have seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice in the fall and peppermint in the winter. Besides the fact that Scooters offers more food items, the menu for both companies are very similar.
If you thought these could be fun shops to meet up and grab a fun drink with a friend, you would be mistaken. “It’s difficult to find a coffee shop in Lockport that lets me sit down with my friends and have a good conversation,” claims Bella Barrett, a senior at LTHS. This leads to another problem with both of these businesses: they are drive-thru only. There is no spot to sit inside to either get work done or chat with a friend because the only way to get a drink is to be in your car.
Since it’s required to be in a car, it’s also important to note that Scooters and 7 Brew are only a five minute drive from one another, along with both a Starbucks and Dunkin’ located between them, meaning that there are plenty of options for someone in a car. This will also cause an increase in car traffic as more people will be visiting and waiting in line. It has already been seen that the 7 Brew line is extending beyond the drive-thru location and oftentimes blocking other businesses.
Since these two coffee places sell similar items, are both drive-thrus and are so close to one another, it is going to be very interesting to see how much business both of them acquire. Since 7 Brew is currently trending with drink combinations and reviews on TikTok, will they get more customers? Or do fans of Scooters not want to stray from their usual orders?
Along with this, these companies will change the restaurant scene. Since people are more attracted to new things, there is a high chance that smaller, local coffee shops will struggle. This would mean Lockport businesses are at risk of losing money and customers.
With all of the negatives that come from the addition of both Scooters and 7 Brew, I am sure I am not alone in wondering if adding these coffee shops was a smart decision after all.
