Dutch Bros has five locations in Visalia and a loyal following. Now one of the fastest-growing drive-thru coffee chains in the country — armed with institutional financing and a private equity playbook — is filing plans to move in.

Founded in Arkansas in 2017, 7 Brew coffee has grown from 14 locations in 2019 to more than 600 spots around the country. Now 7 Brew has filed preliminary plans with the City of Visalia to replace the former Cask & Cleaver building, a once popular sit-down restaurant on South Mooney Boulevard with what might look like another popular, youth-oriented coffee spot — Dutch Bros.

The 7 Brew name comes from its original menu offering of seven different coffee options These “7 Originals” have grown to more than 20,000 potential combinations including coffee, energy drinks and smoothies, according to the company.

Like other fast food chains, the emphasis is on speed, with high-energy service that includes loud music and roving baristas who take orders on a laptop. Plans call for a location with a double drive-thru.

The property was once the site of the very popular steakhouse that closed in 2009 and has sat empty since, with the exception of a short stint as a Mexican eatery.

The shopping center — anchored by Dick’s Sporting Goods — is owned by developer Dave Paynter.

Behind 7 Brew’s rapid expansion is some of the heaviest institutional money in American finance. Blackstone, one of the world’s largest alternative asset management firms, invested in the chain in 2024 when it had roughly 190 locations. Since then the company has more than doubled its unit count.

The numbers back up the confidence. 7 Brew ended 2024 with more than $502 million in system-wide sales, and mature franchised units average around $2 million in annual volume.

The chain’s physical footprint is part of the formula — stores are typically built using modular construction averaging about 510 square feet, reported restaurantdive.com.

Institutional money isn’t just flowing to the brand itself. Franchise Equity Partners, a private investment firm, recently acquired the second-largest 7 Brew franchisee and has committed to developing more than 200 additional stores — a sign that sophisticated investors see the franchise model as its own opportunity, independent of the parent company.

For Central Valley communities like Visalia, that financial backdrop matters. When a Blackstone-backed concept files preliminary plans with your city, it’s rarely a one-location story.