A drive-through coffee stand is proposed for an undeveloped lot on the south side of East Bismarck Expressway, across the Expressway from Kirkwood Mall. Cold Brew, LLC requested a special use permit to "allow a drive-through in conjunction with a coffee establishment," and the request was scheduled for a public hearing before the Bismarck Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 23, according to the commission's agenda and meeting packet. The title block on the site drawing in the packet reads "7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee" and lists 401 East Bismarck Expressway.
The Details
- Where: Lot 1, Block 1, Meadow Valley Sixth Addition, on the south side of East Bismarck Expressway between Bozeman Drive and South Seventh Street, per the city staff report. The lot is 32,917 square feet and undeveloped.
- What: The site exhibit shows two drive-through lanes, one with nine stacking spaces and the other with 11, the staff report says.
- Who: Cold Brew, LLC is the applicant, with the consent of property owner BDC-Expressway LLC. Matt Development Company is listed as the project contact.
- Status: City planning staff recommended approval. The draft resolution in the packet would require the use to begin within 24 months of adoption. The commission's decision on the permit (SUP2026-006) had not been posted as of Oct. 19: no minutes for the Sept. 23 meeting appear on the city's meeting portal.
The Space and the Street
The lot was recently replatted. The City Commission approved the plat July 14, and it was recorded Aug. 25, according to the staff report. The report places Kirkwood Mall to the north, other retail and services to the east, single-family homes to the south and multi-family residences to the west across Bozeman Drive. The city mailed 41 postcards to nearby property owners on Sept. 11 and posted a sign at the site on Sept. 8, the report says.
Under the city's new Land Development Code, which the report says takes full effect in October 2026, the property will be zoned CX-Commercial Mixed-Use, where a drive-through would still need a special use permit.
Who Would Run It
The packet does not say who would operate the stand beyond the drawing's label. 7 Brew's location page lists one existing Bismarck location, a drive-thru at 2625 State Street. No opening date for the Expressway site has been made public.
Before You Go
- Nothing is open at the Expressway site. The Planning and Zoning Commission's next regular meeting is Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. in the Tom Baker Meeting Room, according to its Sept. 23 agenda.
Sources: https://bismarcknd.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5685,plainText=false), https://bismarcknd.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5684,plainText=false), https://locations.7brew.com/nd/bismarck/2625-state-street