New Business Planned For Long-Closed Sonic on Rt. 9 in Wappingers

After sitting empty for 10 years, the former Sonic Drive‑In location at the Hannaford Plaza on Route 9 in Wappingers may soon be transformed into a new business.

Sonic has been an eyesore on Route 9 ever since it closed in 2016. The building’s unique drive-in design made it tough for other businesses to move in, and despite occasional interest, nothing has happened to the property. In 2019, the site briefly came to life when it was dressed up as a 1970s-era McDonald’s for the HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True, but once filming wrapped, the old drive-in fell back into disrepair.

New Business Planned for Former Sonic on Route 9 in Wappingers

Paperwork recently submitted to the Town of Wappinger shows plans for 7 Brew Coffee to take over the property at 1506 Route 9. The proposal calls for demolishing the old fast-food building and replacing it with a newly built, drive-thru-only coffee stand.

7 Brew Coffee launched in 2017 and has 607 locations spread across almost 40 states, including 14 stands in New York State. The company has busy locations in Binghampton, Syracuse, Colonie, Schenectady, Rome and Cortland just to name a few.

According to the application, 7 Brew focuses exclusively on beverages and does not serve food. Much like Ready Coffee, located just a few miles north near Kohl's, the menu would include made-to-order coffee, tea, Italian sodas, smoothies, shakes, energy drinks, and hot chocolate. The company describes its model as fast, upbeat, and designed to keep cars moving, with no interior or exterior seating.

The proposed building would be a 510-square-foot prefabricated structure, paired with a 338-square-foot remote cooler and storage unit. Both would be manufactured off-site in Missouri and delivered ready for installation, which would help speed up construction. A canopy would extend from each side of the building to protect employees and customers during ordering and pickup.

The drive-thru lanes would be accessed from the existing plaza parking lot, with space to accommodate up to 35 vehicles in the queue. Peak demand is estimated at 14 vehicles, based on observations at other New York locations. Existing entrance and exit points along Route 9 would remain unchanged.

If approved by the Planning Board, the project would bring new life to one of Route 9’s most visible vacant properties. After years of watching the old Sonic sit untouched, Wappingers Falls may finally see movement again at a spot many locals thought would never change.