A proposed 7 Brew site plan appears to leave no room for Thirst Trap Soda Shack, despite the soda stand’s owner being told the two businesses could potentially remain on the same property.
The proposed 7 Brew development, located at 805 W. Main St., has prompted mixed reactions among Battle Ground’s existing coffee businesses; in last week's Reflector article, owners Sam Cruz of Espresso Express and Austin Slagle of Dev’s Coffee Bar offered different perspectives on the potential competition.
Cruz, whose business has operated in Battle Ground for more than 30 years, said the prospect of a national chain opening nearby is discouraging for a small business that relies on loyal customers, while Slagle said Dev’s has built a distinct identity and does not expect significant losses, despite not wanting another chain in the city.
7 Brew Coffee is a rapidly expanding drive-thru beverage chain that was founded in 2017 in northwestern Arkansas. The company has grown from its original stand to more than 700 locations across 38 states, according to the company. Of those 38 states, currently the closest with a 7 Brew location include Utah, Montana and Arizona.
One stand, not offering brewed coffee, but beverages in the form of “dirty sodas,” sits on the front lines of what may become a necessary move of the business.
Thirst Trap owner worries proposed
7 Brew could squeeze out small businesses
When Tera Gale opened Thirst Trap Soda Shack in Battle Ground, she was bringing a piece of Utah with her.
Gale, who grew up around the popular “dirty soda” scene in Utah, wanted to offer Battle Ground something different from the city’s coffee-heavy beverage market. The business eventually opened in 2024 after Gale first obtained her business license in 2020.
“Thirst Trap is a soda shack. We do dirty sodas,” Gale said. “I'm from Utah. So that's why I wanted to start it is because the dirty soda scene down there is crazy popular. Up here, it's coffee. So, everybody loves coffee and I love my Dr. Pepper.”
The business has since developed a regular customer base, Gale said, with the small drive-thru remaining busy.
“So, it's been really fun. We have a lot of regulars. We're super busy,” she said.
Now, Gale is watching a proposed development that she believes could threaten the business she spent years building.
Gale said she first learned about the potential 7 Brew development through The Reflector rather than from her landlord or property management.
“My heart actually dropped because I wasn't told formally by my landlord or by property management. It was just the article, and I'm like, wait a minute,” Gale said.
She contacted her landlord after seeing the article and was told a lease had not yet been signed. Gale said she was told that if the project moves forward, there could be an attempt to keep both businesses on the property, but that she could have as little as four months to leave if an agreement cannot be reached.
That possibility is particularly concerning because of the investment Gale made in establishing the Thirst Trap at its current location.
“Do you know how much, like, just to get this thing set was $60,000,” Gale said.
The site required additional infrastructure, including electrical and water work. Gale said an alternate location on the property would have required significantly more excavation because of the site's history as a former gas station.
“So, we would have had to spend $80,000 just to trench it to where we wanted it to be,” she said. “This ground was a gas station … So it's really bad ground.”
Gale said she ultimately invested in the current configuration, including $25,000 for an electrical post and additional work to establish a water connection.
The proposed 7 Brew would not be an exact replica of the Thirst Trap's business model. Gale said the Thirst Trap intentionally does not sell coffee, nstead focusing on dirty sodas and energy drinks.
She said the Thirst Trap avoids coffee specifically to leave that market to nearby businesses.
“We offer no coffee just because we don't want to compete with Sam (owner of nearby Espresso Express) or with Kiara (owner of nearby Coffee Creations),” Gale said. “And I mean, we're all 50 feet apart here in either direction.”
Still, Gale expects the arrival of another large beverage chain could affect her sales, particularly in the energy drink market.
“I do think our energy drink sales would plummet due to 7 Brew coming in,” she said.
Personal concerns extend beyond Thirst Trap, Gale said. She pointed to other nearby small businesses that could be affected by increased traffic and competition.
Gale said she does not oppose new development or business coming to Battle Ground. Her concern, she said, is the concentration of beverage businesses in an area already populated by independent operators.
“I liked your post where it said it's over diluted. It is, 100%,” Gale said.
7 Brew franchisee says company sees room in Battle Ground
Rick Nader, president of We Are Motley, a franchisee of 7 Brew, said the company views its proposed Battle Ground location as an opportunity to become part of a community he already has strong ties to.
Nader previously lived in Battle Ground for 15 years and said he and his wife still consider the city a second hometown. He also previously operated Taco Bell locations in the area and said his familiarity with the community helped drive the decision to pursue 7 Brew in Battle Ground.
“I just knew it would be a great fit because I love Battle Ground and I know a lot of people in town,” Nader said. “We just know that there's a lot of similarity between the Taco Bell business guests and the Seven Brew guests, and we just figured it would be a nice fit.”
Nader said 7 Brew’s model is built around drive-thru speed and a large beverage menu, with locations typically featuring two or three drive-thru lanes.
“We're primarily a double drive-thru, in some cases, a triple drive-thru, depending on the municipality,” Nader said. “And we offer folks a chance to get through and have really good beverages. We offer over 20,000 beverages.”
Nader said the company also places an emphasis on community involvement, including contributions to schools, school clubs, animal shelters and other charitable organizations.
As for the larger question of whether Battle Ground can support another beverage-focused business, Nader said he believes the market has room for different operators.
“We're not trying to go after those folks. We're not trying to eliminate anybody else's business,” Nader said. “We just think we have a really good product and that we're going to be good for the town.”
Nader additionally gave a simple answer of encouragement for a diluted coffee scene.
“We encourage the other coffee and beverage trades in our area,” Nader said. “There's enough room for everybody. Enough business for everybody.”
He compared the situation to other competitive food markets, saying customers can gravitate toward different businesses based on what they prefer.
“The business blends out a little bit and some people become 7 Brew favorites and some people stay at Dutch and some people stay at the smaller businesses, and I think there's enough pie for everyone to have a slice,” Nader said.
The Battle Ground proposal is part of a broader Pacific Northwest expansion for the company. Nader said additional locations are planned, including in Spokane, Yakima and Oregon, and that the company could eventually look at other Clark County locations.
“We're looking for high traffic counts, usually easy access, in-and-out, and hopefully, we love to build near Walmarts and other places where we know guests are coming regularly anyway and can come and stop,” Nader said.
Site plan does not line up with what Gale has been told
A day after The Reflector interviewed Gale at her soda shack, the proposed 7 Brew site plans became readily available as public records.
What became apparent instantly was the fact there would be no opportunity for both Thirst Trap Soda Shack and 7 Brew to operate at the same location, despite Gale being told by her landlord both businesses could coexist on the same property.
The site plan shows 7 Brew taking the entire retail pad, with its 510-square-foot building located nearly exactly where Gale's soda shack exists currently.
After seeing the email address for property owner Bharwinder Singh attached to the pre-application document for the city of Battle Ground, The Reflector sent an email for comment regarding the difference in what has been relayed to Gale and the site plan.
However, Singh's email address on the city document was invalid. Singh's LLC, Bagley Park Investment, also does not have any additional contact information, aside from a mailing address.
Gale and Cruz both mentioned a no-compete clause exists for the property owned by Singh.
The potential impact on existing businesses, particularly the Thirst Trap Soda Shack, was also discussed in the interview with Nader.
Nader said he could not offer much insight on the issues regarding the site plan and Thirst Trap Soda Shack, adding 7 Brew has a real estate team handling property and site plans. Nader said 7 Brew’s real estate team had told him the existing soda stand would be leaving the property, though he said he did not know the details of the arrangement between Gale and the landlord.
“I wish I could say I knew more, but I don't,” Nader said.
The proposed development has also underscored for Gale the importance of communication between property owners, tenants and prospective developments.
“I only found that out from The Reflector. So, nobody has said anything,” she said, regarding the 7 Brew announcement.
Gale said the uncertainty has left her trying to determine what comes next while continuing to operate the business.
For Gale, the issue is ultimately about more than her soda shack. She said Thirst Trap's employees have become an important part of the business and that a forced move could affect them as well.
“And it really sucks for my girls, I have the best team,” Gale said. “When I tell people that I have the best team I really have the best team. They are all like sisters, they hang out with each other after work and so I'm just like it's not just me that you're affecting, it's my girls too.”
The uncertainty has left Gale watching the development process closely while hoping a solution can be found that allows the Thirst Trap and the other small businesses in the area to remain.
“I just pray it doesn't go through but that's all I can really do,” she said. “Because other than that if we can't come to an agreement then my place is the one who gets the boot, not theirs, it's me.”
Prior to the site plans being made readily available, Gale said she would prefer to remain at the property if a way could be found for both businesses to operate, but the physical limitations of the site could make that difficult.
“I would want to just because, I mean, blood, sweat, and tears went into this place,” she said. “But I know we would have to try to move, right?”
Editor's note: The Reflector will seek additional comment from Gale, as well as from Singh regarding an apparent difference in what is being relayed to Gale from property management.
The Reflector anticipates additional articles of “Too Many Brews?” to follow.
