GEORGIA THOMPSON
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Audio Package
7Brew Coffee's Training Operations
Photo from 7brew.com
Employees and customers of 7Brew Coffee share their training and experiences allowing them to withstand the sizable amount of customers the company receives.
The opening of trending 7Brew Coffee in the Lynchburg area has caused a commotion on Timberlake Road. The large amount of business the company receives at all locations requires a precise training program and traffic system that allows for the company to continue to serve such a high rate of customers. Employees Elliana Schekel and Jordan White have undergone the long training process to become a 7Brew employee that includes a test on all drink procedures that must be passed before final employment as well as practicing strategies for traffic success, and frequent customer Abigail Lockhart agrees that the business is run quite thoroughly.
“They do this thing called rotational training, and you go in three days in a row for like five hours at once of just intensive training. You talk about literally every aspect,” said Schekel.
Schekel, a shift lead at the Lynchburg location, says that not everyone who applies to 7Brew is successful in this training process because of its intensity. White describes a portion of training that included a charity opportunity for managing traffic practice.
White explains that employees had the ability to volunteer for a local church event prior to opening, where traffic strategies were tested. There are strategies the business has during busy hours, including the opening of multiple exits and specific placement of employees to greet cars, he says.
Lockhart visits the coffee shop multiple times a week making her privy to the strategies the employees use.
“I’ve always had a positive experience at 7Brew. Even when lines are long I am still out of there in less than fifteen minutes,” says Lockhart.
Lockhart's feedback reveals some of the success of the business tactics that allow 7Brew to continue receiving business from her.
To learn more about 7Brew in Lynchburg visit them at their location at 7719 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg,VA or 7brew.com.
To listen visit: https://soundcloud.com/georgia-thompson-177981839/audio-package-7brew
Sources:
Elliana Schekel:
(937) 499-0783
Jordan White:
Reach through: info@7brew.com or 479.358.9274
Abigail Lockhart:
Photography Package
7Brew Coffee’s Popularity Causes Traffic Congestion
Front view of 7Brew Coffee in Lynchburg, VA
Traffic piling up on Timberlake Road by the entrance of 7Brew
Sipping a "Georgia Peach" energy drink
Front view of 7Brew Coffee in Lynchburg, VA
While 7Brew Coffee has obtained a large amount of business in the Lynchburg area, their location on Timberlake Road causes an overflow of traffic during peak business hours.
Since its opening on Jan. 27, 2025, 7Brew Coffee in Lynchburg has had a constant influx of business, especially between 9 a.m. and noon. The congestion that this causes on adjacent roads, such as Old Graves Mill, and the line leaking into the Timberlake Station Shopping Center is something that Lynchburg students have noticed. Elliana Schekel, a shift lead at the location, explains the responsibility that 7Brew workers have within the parking lot while frequent customers Landon Spotts and Abigail Barlow share their own experiences.
The shopping center portion of the parking lot is not the initial responsibility of 7Brew employees, and the only time when that parking lot is regulated is when the business has enough staff, says Schekel.
Many frequent customers of the business give praise for the functionality within the property of 7Brew, but have opposing views when it comes to the traffic located in the back parking lot shopping center or on the adjacent side streets.
“The only time I saw workers in that back parking lot was when they were first opening. Otherwise, the cars are bumper to bumper coming in from the light and other sides of the parking lot to try and get in,” says Spotts.
Spotts believes she represents the thoughts of many Lynchburg students on this issue, and that her peers choose not to visit the business at specific morning times due to this congestion.
“Yea, I know if I want to go in the morning I have to go at like eight, one time I went when it was busy and I felt like I was going to get rear ended,” says Barlow.
While 7Brew continues to gain popularity, it is important to highlight the challenges the company could face in regards to traffic.
To learn more about 7Brew visit 7Brew.com.
Sources:
Elliana Schekel:
(937) 499-0783
Abigail Barlow:
(540) 420-2955
Landon Spotts:
(540) 607-2780
Video Package
The Hornet Buzz Around 7Brew Coffee
By: Georgia Thompson
Sources:
Katherine Charlton - charltk774@lynchburg.edu
Kyrie Thibodeau - thibodk886@lynchburg.edu
Charlotte Grieve- grievec764@lynchburg.edu
Aaliyah Carver- carvera377@lynchburg.edu
Hannah Woodell - woodelh932@lynchburg.edu
Elese Frazier - https://www.instagram.com/lienelese/
Delaney Porter - porterd937@lynchburg.edu
Caroline Marotta - marottc467@lynchburg.edu
Isabelle Wade - wadei255@lynchburg.edu
Lauren Mills - millsl923@lynchburg.edu
Kayla- dining@lynchburg.edu
Data Package
Greek Life at Lynchburg: Small Campus, Strong Bonds
With her leadership role in ASA, Hammond expresses the intentions of her sorority when it comes time for recruitment.
“We look for leadership potential and girls that represent our core values. We know how hard recruitment is, and how intimidating it can be while finding interest in Greek Life so we really try to see which girls are the most optimistic about the process and have poise,” says Hammond.
University of Lynchburg’s Greek Life is a place where strength does not always come from large numbers.
The University of Lynchburg is a smaller college campus only consisting of around two thousand students per year. The small campus atmosphere creates a tight-knit Greek community that many students cherish in their time at the university.
The small numbers, in comparison to larger universities, allow sororities to use more relaxed recruitment processes such as continuous open bidding (COB) to sustain tighter bonds and build long lasting relationships with their fellow chapter members.
President of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Samantha Hammond shares that formal sorority recruitment numbers are largely dependent on the class size of incoming freshmen. While the 2025 cycle produced lower numbers, there is always hope that the following freshman class will exhibit more interest, says Hammond.
Director of Campus Engagement, Emily Velilla shares how the administrative side approaches smaller chapter sizes in terms of recruitment strategy.
“We do see higher numbers for COB, and that's actually pretty consistent with our campus size,” says Velilla. "People always want to join Greek life, it's how they enter that is changing."
The continuous open bidding process and shifting from formal to partially structured recruitment are two avenues that Lynchburg chapters prove successful with, says Velilla.
President of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Kylie Kronwitter shares a similar take on the success of the current process, and how her chapter fosters the tight bonds through the different recruitment styles.
“I know that the former recruitment process has looked very different over the years,” says Kronwitter. “When it comes to the COB process, we’re able to spend more time personalizing the new member aspect for girls.”
Lynchburg’s variety of recruitment styles foster growth within chapters stimulated by connection and belonging for each sorority member. Although the numbers are not large in size, they are increments that add to the experiences provided to Lynchburg students.
To learn more about Lynchburg’s sororities visit https://www.instagram.com/uoflpanhelleniccouncil/
Sources:
Samantha Hammond: hammons233@lynchburg.edu
Emily Velilla: ostrowski_e@lynchburg.edu
Kylie Kronewitter: leonark394@lynchburg.edu