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BY ROBERT SORRELL
Star Correspondent
7 Brew Coffee, a drive-thru coffee chain that has recently expanded into Northeast Tennessee, plans to open a location in Elizabethton.

The company hopes to open a spot at 415 West Elk Avenue, the current site of a Pizza Hut restaurant. The pizzeria will be moving to a new shopping center on Broad Street near the Regions Bank.

Director of Planning and Zoning Logan Engle told the Elizabethton Regional Planning Commission on Thursday that the company plans to demolish the Pizza Hut building and construct its own building. The building, as planned, will feature two drive-thrus.

The board, however, deferred action on the preliminary site plans due to a few concerns. Engle said that once the company supplies the information the board can review the plans again at its June meeting.

Board members voiced some concern about egress and ingress to and from West Elk Avenue. That portion of the roadway is currently under construction and will feature a center turning lane. Engle said the developer will likely be required to obtain a driveway permit from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The 7 Brew chain recently opened a location on North Roan Street in Johnson City and is preparing to open a second site on State of Franklin Road near East Tennessee State University.

The first 7 Brew opened in Rogers, Ark., with seven original coffees. The company now has 70 locations across the country and has expanded into several states. It offers more than 20,000 unique drink combinations, the company says.

Planning board members approved final site plans for the Northeast Community Credit Union location on Jason Witten Drive. The credit union has plans for a 12,900 square foot addition as well as 33 new parking spaces.

Engle told the board the credit union plans to use the addition as a training facility. She noted that one small structure must be demolished as part of the plan.

The credit union will also add a new driveway on Rogosin Drive.