Lenoir City Tennessee is a small city outside of Knoxville, known for its historical museum located downtown and is also known for its proximity to the Smoky Mountains, often receiving the name, “Lakeway to the Smokies,”. However locals are more familiar and have a personal connection to Lenoir City. The city is home for families, friends, and the same ol good times. Similar coffee shops like “Ugly Mug” and “Coffee Culture” that produce lattes, frappes, smoothies, and pastries are a staple for folks of Lenoir City. For the past eight years Ugly Mug has been the cozy coffee shop that differentiates itself from chain coffee like Dutch Bros or Starbucks. Although there is a homey taste in handmade brewed coffee, chain coffee shops still find their way to Lenoir City.
On December 8, 2025, 7Brew made its grand opening right down the road from Chick-fil-a. 7Brew is known for fast service drive thru drinks that provide easy customization to refreshments like coffee, teas, shakes, and energy drinks. The weekend before opening, 7Brew gave customers free small drinks of their choice. Running the drive thru efficiently with excellent customer service and promptly serving drinks quickly made locals anticipate opening day.
Atley Click (11) is proud to be a part of the “7Brew’s Crew”, where she operates the drive-thru and brewery machines while preparing customized beverages for customers.
“I enjoy 7 Brew because of the fast paced schedule and how much I push myself to get through all the testing and learning different drinks. It is also nice to get more experience talking to customers and actually making drinks is enjoyable…” Click said.
Although many locals are eager to enjoy 7 Brew Coffee, some remain loyal to their familiar coffee shops located in the center of Lenoir City, like Ugly Mug. A stronger sense of originality and love is designed with each shot of espresso or teabag placed in their mugs.The interior design of Ugly Mug offers an aesthetically pleasing artsy feeling with each sip of coffee. Ugly Mug focuses on personal connections with each customer, while a drive-thru typically offers only a brief one to two minute interaction.
Addalyn Landon (12) has sampled 7Brew, but prefers a traditional cup of coffee The scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air, warm lighting, quiet conversation, and a moment of calm on a busy day are all things that she admires in a cafe. Landon has been a loyal customer of Ugly Mug for about two years, during this time it has become her place in which she feels comfortable and at ease, enjoying both the familiar atmosphere and her regular coffee routine.
“I prefer drinking Ugly Mug better than 7 Brew coffee because it feels more homey and original. It feels homey because of the atmosphere and the people that work there. I’ve been drinking Ugly Mug for 2 years and with 7 Brew it’s new and I’m not as familiar with it. My favorite drink to order is a salted caramel cold brew,” Landon said.
Whether you prefer piping hot dark roasted coffee or frozen coffee with pumps of sugar and caramel drizzles, Lenoir City has endless amounts of options to choose from.
