UPPER ARLINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) — There are many places across central Ohio to get a cup of coffee, but at a new coffee shop in Upper Arlington, that cup comes with a cause.
“I wanted to work at Bitty & Beau’s because they hire kids with special needs and that’s what I’m interested in working with,” Ashton Bowe said.
Dozens of people gathered at Kingsdale Shopping Center on Saturday morning for the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new coffee shop. The chain was founded by Amy and Ben Wright after they found out about 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed nationwide.
Since opening their first shop in 2016, Bitty & Beau’s has employed more than 450 people with disabilities and expanded to nearly 20 locations.
“The experience has been pretty fun,” Bowe said. “I’ve made some great friends. I’ve giggled. I’ve laughed and training week has been a blast.”
While waiting for the grand opening, the employees told NBC4 they’ve undergone a lot of training.
“I do coffee, treats and the name cards on the coffee,” Jacob Gibson said.
The shop’s slogan is ‘A human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop.’ The owners said they wanted to create a place where diversity isn’t just appreciated but celebrated.
“When I got to Bitty & Beau’s, I was like I love to be here. This is my favorite team. I love my team,” Josh Valentino said.
The coffee shop is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more about their mission here.