Cup of Joy: Bitty and Beaus

Y O J C U P OF

What makes us happy?

In the short term, our answers may vary- a new car, a big trip, your team winning the championship, an ice cream cone on a summer day- all of which bring momentary delight. In the long term, however, what makes us happy is surprisingly universal. The ancient Greeks defined happiness as “the joy that we feel when we’re striving after our potential.” That wisdom still holds true; research tells us that people are happiest when they have a sense of purpose and meaningful work to do.

Those who work may joke about Mondays or living for the weekend, but they also have opportunities to develop professional skills, set and achieve goals, and contribute to their teams and communities. Paychecks aside, having meaningful work to do is foundational to a sense of selfworth.

For people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), finding employment is not a given.

Consider an alarming statistic: over 70% of people with IDD are unemployed nationwide, which can reinforce a sense of isolation and keep them from participating fully in their communities.

Amy Wright aims to change that percentage.

Two of Amy’s children, Bitty and Beau, have Down syndrome.

A fierce advocate not only for her own children but also for all individuals with IDD, Amy founded the non-profit ABLE to Work USA, and was determined to create a place founded on value, inclusion, and acceptance where people with IDD could work as part of a team. She envisioned a coffee shop which would serve as a community cornerstone. Her employees with IDD would engage patrons as a valued part of the community with an authentic sense of purpose, and patrons would have the opportunity to see the world through a different lens.

Beau’s Coffee opened in January, 2016 in Wilmington, NC, in a 500 SF space when Amy’s son Beau was 11. The business outgrew the space in six months and moved to a 5,000 SF donated facility. Beau’s 12th birthday wish was to have his little sister’s name next to his on the sign, and Bitty & Beau’s soon employed 40 people in Wilmington, including two staff members with special education degrees.

At this point, Amy and her employees had started a movement, one which quickly spread to a second location in Charleston. LS3P was honored to design Bitty & Beau’s new Church Street location. The storefront needed to provide a welcoming, relaxed community gathering spot; the design team also wanted to capture the joy and personality of the business.

To maximize the budget and use the nonprofit’s resources carefully, the design team repurposed elements such as leftover wood from the storefront’s previous tenant to create eye-catching pallets hanging from the ceiling. The pallets help to define the space, create an intimate scale, control acoustics, and hide an unsightly mechanical system.

The dark neutral background finishes help emphasize the colorful accents of the merchandising tables and menu board, along with the vibrant wall graphics that describe the mission of Bitty and Beau’s.

Overhead string lighting with Edison bulbs creates a festive and playful atmosphere.

The stained concrete floor complements the coffee shop’s “industrial chic” aesthetic. To conserve the budget and add visual interest, the design team found an economical but high-impact vinyl adhesive product. The pattern replicates a vintage hand painted linoleum floor and helps to define and give character to the Point of Sale (POS) counter.

To create interest at the front of the POS counter, the design team gathered three different crown molding profiles from scraps donated by the millworker, who has a sister with IDD and was excited about the project. The team laid the three profiles horizontally, one over the other, to produce an undulating and durable surface. To add visual comfort and help the owner minimize maintenance upkeep as Bitty & Beau’s makes its own mark on the environment over time, the team pre-distressed all surfaces to create a timeworn aesthetic.

Because customer education is a central part of the experience, the circulation guides customers through a graphics-rich merchandise area explaining the company’s mission, underscoring the Bitty & Beau’s mantra that “It’s More Than a Cup of Coffee.”

The creative use of materials which might otherwise be overlooked offers a subtle but important metaphor. The live-edge walnut table in the front window could be viewed as imperfect, or it could be viewed as beautiful. At Bitty & Beau’s, it’s a treasure.

Since that first 500 SF storefront opened in 2016, news of this exceptional business has spread rapidly. Bitty & Beau’s plans to expand to 10 additional cities in the US before eventually going international. The impacts of Amy’s vision are far-reaching, and the world has noticed. “Creating this has given people a way to interact with people with disabilities that (they) never had before,” she said. “This is a safe place where people can test the waters and realize how much more alike we are than different. And that’s what it’s all about.”

Please note : ***This photo is licensed for this one-time use. It may not be used in any way subsequent to this specific instance, including online recaps of it, etc.**

Image courtesy of CNN

Amy was named CNN’s National Hero of the Year in 2017. In her acceptance speech, she spoke directly to Bitty and Beau, and to all the IDD staff that work for Bitty and Beau’s.

Amy told them,

I would not change you for

THE WORLD,

but I will change the world

FOR YOU.

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