But it is not just 7 Brew looking forward to a meeting with the Planning Board. Chipotle Mexican Grill has submitted a proposal to the Town of Dunkirk for review. Plans are in the early stages and no date for a meeting has been scheduled yet.

7 Brew is eyeing a location in Plaza 59 in the Town of Dunkirk, located on Bennett Road next to the thruway entrance. Within the past two years, the same plaza welcomed a Popeyes restaurant and Planet Fitness gym.

While 7 Brew would be the fourth different coffee shop with a mile of the Thruway entrance, competing with Tim Hortons, Dunkin’ Donuts and the recently opened Starbucks coffee shop on Vineyard Drive, 7 Brew offers more than 20,000 drink combinations, including teas, smoothies, and handcrafted sodas.

When the plans were first presented nearly a year ago, the targeted opening date was this past March. Instead, the Planning Board will hold another meeting on the proposal 11 months after the Town Board welcomed the out-of-town franchisee and corporate representative to its meeting. If the Planning Board signs off on the proposal, it would come before the Town Board for a final decision.

If approved by the Town Board, the former Lightning Lube building, which has been vacant for many years, would be demolished and a new building will take its place. The 7 Brew location would be a prefabricated building, which could be installed and hooked up within days after the preparation for the site is completed.

Chipotle, however, is rumored to be targeting a site along Vineyard Drive for a newly built restaurant. As is the case with 7 Brew, as well as Starbucks before it, these things take time.

Once a meeting is held with the Planning Board, a recommendation could be made to the Town Board for approval. However, in many instances, businesses have multiple meetings with the Planning Board before receiving the green light to proceed. The Town Board would have the final say regarding any proposed project.