Two Springfield-based businesses—Creative Modular Construction and Toth & Associates—lend their expertise to the rapidly expanding Ozarks-based 7 Brew Coffee drive-through concept.
Mar 2025
The distinctive curved top, blue accents and familiar round black and red logo are all quick identifiers of a 7 Brew Coffee location. A fourth hallmark of the brand, though, is how quickly one of those distinctive structures comes together.
Enter Springfield-based Creative Modular Construction. “We build commercial modular buildings, and we cover everything,” says Brandon Funk, Creative Modular Construction Procurement Specialist. “From electrical to framing to plumbing, all of it, we’re delivering a complete building to our customers.”
Funk adds that CMC manufactures all the parts and pieces as well, from metal sheets and coils to framing and assembly. “I refer to it as an IKEA kit on steroids,” he says.
While Funk has worked with its owners for 19 years, CMC was founded in August of 2020. Before that, the company was called Architectural Design Concepts (ADC), which focused on exterior building facades. Their work can be seen at local spots like Ozarks Technical College, Missouri State University and Joplin High School.
By the end of ADC’s lifespan, the team had been discussing modular construction for several years, and how it was the future of the construction world for many reasons. Shortly after CMC was founded in 2020, they received a very timely phone call, and an incredible opportunity. “7 Brew gave us a call asking for help,” Funk says. “We went down there and noticed they were already kind of building their buildings in a modular fashion.” Like CMC, 7 Brew is an Ozarks business, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
After observation, CMC’s team asked 7 Brew for the opportunity to manufacture for them. “We thought we could do this in a way that’s actually scalable for the growth they would have,” Funk says. “They gave us the opportunity to do that. We put it together, then took it apart, then put it together in front of them. That was the North Glenstone location.”
Toth & Associates, a Springfield-based firm, has additionally been involved with the creation process, providing comprehensive civil engineering services that include site layout and design, utility coordination, land surveying, traffic analysis, permitting and construction administration to navigate complexities and deliver sites that meet the brand’s high standards.
Crew members work at the facility located on Kearney Street assembling a 7 Brew Coffee. It takes approximately four weeks to assemble the building from start to finish.
Purchase Photo
Procurement Specialist Brandon Funk and CEO Lee Loveall with some of their team.
“While CMC’s approach ensures fast and efficient building assembly, our role as civil engineers is to design and prepare the infrastructure that allows those buildings to fit seamlessly into each site,” says Shawn Barry, PE, Vice President, Toth & Associates. “Every 7 Brew location presents unique challenges, from varying land conditions and city codes to zoning requirements and utility access. It’s exciting to see how CMC’s modular construction and 7 Brew’s rapid growth are making a national impact. We’re honored to play a part in their success, all while supporting this incredible growth right here in the Ozarks.”
Funk adds that a common misconception of modular construction is that it’s a method of construction rather than a building type. “We adhere to the same building standards as traditional construction, and I believe we’re held to a higher standard, as we have to engineer these buildings to be picked up twice,” Funk says.
The quality control standards that CMC follows are actually much higher than traditional construction. “We adhere to the tightest tolerances, and we’re designing to be repeatable,” Funk says. “Our tolerances are a lot tighter than what you see on-site. You’ve got to have skilled training; we’re manufacturing the parts and pieces the same every time.”
CMC also has a unique approach to hiring. The company recruits through local ministries and organizations like Victory Mission and the prison in Fordland. “We offer those folks jobs, so that they have something to look forward to,” Funk says. “We build buildings and we build people. We try to give people a second chance and train them so they can learn to be producers. Over 60% of our staff have been incarcerated at some point in time. We just try to provide an environment where we’re a safe place to land, but not a soft place.”
CMC has five locations in Springfield. One location manufactures, and the other four assemble. However, bigger things are coming. The company is building a new facility near the Springfield-Branson National Airport. “Our current five buildings total 100,000 square feet,” Funk says. “Our new facility will be 160,000 square feet in Phase One.” CMC has four phases in total planned, each at 160,000 square feet. Creating space to consolidate everything into one building sets CMC up for more growth as they continue to help 7 Brew spring up quickly in new locations across the region. “It’s exciting to see a hole in the ground become a building in a day,” Funk says.
