(WBIR-TV) – An inclusive coffee shop that employs people with disabilities is coming to Knoxville.
The owners of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee are searching for their newest location and plan to open by the end of the year.
“We have lots of dance parties, conga lines, it’s a very fun place to visit and work,” co-owner Amy Wright said.
The Wrights opened their first coffee shop in Wilmington, North Carolina in January 2016.
They say their business model creates a path for people with disabilities to become more valued, accepted, and included in every community.
“The fact that 80% of people with disabilities are unemployed in our country is just an unacceptable statistic to us, and our approach is just to continue opening these coffee shops and show the world what’s possible and hopefully have other businesses pick up on what we’re doing and find ways to employ people with disabilities in their workplaces too,” Amy Wright said.
The coffee shops are now popping up all over the country with 11 locations across the U.S. and 15 more locations in the works.
Bitty & Beau’s employs more than 300 people nationwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
It’s known for its fun atmosphere and its celebratory hiring process.
“We make a big deal out of hiring our employees because most of them have never had a job before, so we try to make that moment as special as we can. I get goosebumps when I think about it,” Wright smiled.
A job fair is planned in the coming months for potential employees with or without disabilities.
Click here to apply.
