Two lawsuits have involved the owners of 7 Brew Coffee, and both ended in settlement rather than trial. In February 2026, co-founder Ron Crume’s holding company sued his business partner at 7 Brew’s modular building manufacturer, alleging more than $2 million in embezzlement. Three years earlier, Jimmy John’s founder Jimmy John Liautaud sued 7 Brew’s parent entity over access to financial records. The embezzlement case was dismissed in April 2026 after a confidential resolution; the Liautaud case settled in March 2024, with Liautaud selling his stake as Blackstone came in as an investor.
The 2026 Embezzlement Lawsuit
On February 16, 2026, Club 37 LLC — the holding company owned by Ron Crume and his wife, Lisa — filed suit in Greene County, Missouri, Circuit Court against Lee Loveall and his wife, Leanna Loveall. The target of the dispute was Creative Modular Construction, a Springfield, Missouri company formed in 2021 to build 7 Brew’s prefabricated drive-thru stores. Club 37 and Lee Loveall each held a 50 percent stake in CMC.1Springfield Citizen. 7 Brew Lawsuit Construction Fraud
The complaint accused Lee Loveall of diverting more than $2 million in CMC funds for personal use, including family vacations to Hawaii, the purchase of a truck for the Lovealls’ son, unauthorized checks and cash withdrawals, and commingling of company money with the couple’s personal accounts and other businesses they controlled. Club 37 also alleged that Loveall kept a large distribution that was contractually required to be reinvested as a capital contribution into a building project.2KTLO. Modular Builder for 7 Brew Expansion Faces Lawsuit Alleging $2M Embezzlement The suit further claimed the Lovealls blocked access to CMC’s financial records, IT systems, and data backups to prevent a forensic accounting review.3Arkansas Business. Modular Builder 7 Brew Partners Lawsuit
Club 37’s legal claims included fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of CMC’s operating agreement. Leanna Loveall, a former CMC employee with access to the company’s financial systems, was named as a co-defendant.4Springfield News-Leader. 7 Brew Owners Sue Springfield Company Creative Modular Construction Attorneys for the Lovealls said their clients “vehemently deny the allegations” and were seeking dismissal.5OzarksFirst. 7 Brew Founder Sues Lovealls
What Happened Before the Suit Was Filed
Club 37 had already moved to take control of CMC in the months leading up to the filing. In September 2025, CMC’s board removed Leanna Loveall as a signatory on company bank accounts. In January 2026, Club 37 passed a board resolution assuming operational control, terminated Lee Loveall’s employment, and issued a formal notice of dissociation from the partnership. Lee Loveall contested those actions.1Springfield Citizen. 7 Brew Lawsuit Construction Fraud
On February 9, 2026, Greene County Circuit Judge Derek A. Ankrom granted a partial temporary restraining order. It barred the Lovealls from destroying or altering company records and required them to give Club 37 access to CMC’s financial and payroll documents. The judge denied Club 37’s request to immediately strip Lee Loveall of his management and voting rights or to force a buyout of his interest.2KTLO. Modular Builder for 7 Brew Expansion Faces Lawsuit Alleging $2M Embezzlement
How the Embezzlement Case Ended
The case never reached trial. On April 16, 2026, Club 37 and the Lovealls filed an agreed motion to dismiss, telling the court they had reached a “full resolution.” Judge Ankrom granted the dismissal the next day. The terms were not made public, and each side agreed to pay its own legal costs. Emily Neal, an attorney for Club 37, said she was “only allowed to say that the matter has been resolved.”6Springfield Citizen. 7 Brew Coffee Lawsuit Dismissed
Whether CMC continues to operate, whether Lee Loveall was bought out, and whether 7 Brew now uses a different builder have not been publicly reported.7Arkansas Business. 7 Brew Co-Founder Resolves Legal Fight With Construction Firm Partner
The Earlier Jimmy John Liautaud Lawsuit
The 2026 case was not the first legal fight involving 7 Brew’s ownership. In March 2021, Jimmy John Liautaud and Lone Star Steakhouse founder Jamie Coulter had bought a majority stake in 7 Brew through an entity called Drink House Holdings LLC to help fund national franchising.8QSR Magazine. 7 Brew Parts Ways With Jimmy John Founder After Notching New Equity Investment
On January 13, 2023, Liautaud’s entity, Stillwater Brew LLC, sued Drink House Holdings and its manager, Bar 7 Bar LLC, in Benton County, Arkansas, Circuit Court. Liautaud alleged he had been denied access to 7 Brew’s financial records. Both sides filed counterclaims, and the dispute stretched more than a year.9Restaurant Business Online. Fast-Growing 7 Brew Coffee Gets Growth Investment From Blackstone
The case settled after mediation. On March 20, 2024, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss, and Circuit Judge Christine Horwart dismissed the case with prejudice the following day, meaning the claims cannot be refiled. Each side paid its own attorney costs.10Arkansas Business. 7 Brew, Jimmy John Liautaud Reach Settlement As part of the resolution, Liautaud sold his shares, and 7 Brew announced a growth equity investment from Blackstone in February 2024.9Restaurant Business Online. Fast-Growing 7 Brew Coffee Gets Growth Investment From Blackstone
Where 7 Brew’s Ownership Stands Now
Ron and Lisa Crume founded 7 Brew in 2017 in Rogers, Arkansas. On January 7, 2020, the brand was purchased by an entrepreneurial group that now operates it as Brew Culture LLC.117 Brew. About 7 Brew As of 2023, Chief Operating Officer Drew Ritger said Crume remained a shareholder but was no longer involved in day-to-day operations.7Arkansas Business. 7 Brew Co-Founder Resolves Legal Fight With Construction Firm Partner The chain is led by CEO John Davidson, with Blackstone holding a minority stake acquired in 2024.12Blackstone. Blackstone Announces Growth Investment in 7 Brew