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Board approves 7 Brew storefront design but defers blue strip lighting
Summary
Members approved canopy, wall-mounted signage and a raised projecting sign for a new 7 Brew walk‑in location, but tabled the illuminated blue strip-branding element for a later submittal.
At a Columbus City Council review meeting (date not specified), the board approved most exterior signage, a new aluminum canopy, and an elevated projecting sign for a new 7 Brew location at 111 West Street, but declined to approve the proposed blue illuminated strip that would wrap the canopy and fascia.
Staff presented the application and recommended conditional approval while asking that the projecting sign on the side elevation be raised to 8–10 feet above grade. The applicant, Matthew Weymouth, senior director of real estate for 7 Brew, told the board the location is the company’s first walk‑in only site and that the blue illumination is part of the business’s national brand. Weymouth said, “We're really excited about being here and being a part of this community,” and described the blue strip as a familiar element at other 7 Brew locations.
Board members expressed concern that approving the illuminated strip as submitted could set a precedent for other brands to add prominent colored lighting to facades, affecting the streetscape and neighboring businesses. One board member suggested approving the primary signage and canopy now and requiring the applicant to return with a separate application for the strip light so the board could evaluate placement, glare and compatibility with adjacent tenants.
The board voted to approve the canopy, wall sign mounting and the projecting sign at a height of 10 feet from grade (raising the side projection from the staff’s lower recommendation), while explicitly excluding approval of the illuminated strip light at this time. The applicant acknowledged the board’s direction and agreed to return with revised options or additional information if needed.
Weymouth provided context about the chain’s presence: he said 7 Brew currently operates 22 drive‑through locations in Ohio, about 400 nationally, and that this downtown, walk‑in store will be used as a template for other urban, pedestrian locations. The board conditioned its approval on matching neighboring tenant signage heights where appropriate and on final mounting details to be coordinated with the property owner and staff.
The action allows the applicant to move forward with installation of the approved canopy and signs but requires a subsequent application or staff review if the applicant later pursues the illuminated strip lighting.
