Normally when we decide which coffee shop to go to, we don’t pick the one with the best customer service or the lowest prices; we go for the one with the best-tasting coffee, nice atmosphere, and free Wi-Fi. I’m guilty of this too.
But starting in mid-April, a new java joint in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, called Inspired Coffee, which previously housed Caribou Coffee and Peet’s Coffee, will be changing the dynamic of how people view and support their local coffee shop.
Inspired Coffee will be run by non-profit Inspiration Ministries, which provides long-term care for dozens of individuals with mild to moderate developmental or physical disabilities. Those under the ministry’s care, whose ages range from 22 to 85, will be employed at the future Lake Geneva business. What a great way to let every member of a community shine!
So, instead of customers selecting which coffee shop to go to for all the wrong reasons, customers will be inspired to support a business that ends the stigma of disability.
While there are other businesses across the nation that are employing those with special needs, the ministry’s president, Erik Barber, doesn’t like the idea of hiding them or making them feel less-than by giving them simple tasks.
“The whole goal of this coffee shop is to celebrate people with disabilities. We want to put them in the spotlight, and to really change the conversation about the purpose, the value, they should have in our community,” Barber explained as he discussed how the shop will be allowing staff with disabilities to take on positions such as cashier or greeter.
Jani Gregornik, a 29-year-old diagnosed with Down syndrome, will be one of 20 to 30 people employed at the business. She’s excited to start her first day of work and calls it the perfect job for her.
The community is equally as excited for the ministry-run shop to start serving its first cup of Joe. The president of VISIT Lake Geneva is one of those many people.
“This sends the message that we invite everybody to our community. There’s nothing else like this in the state of Wisconsin, that we’re aware of,” said Klett.
Apart from loving the Inspiration behind Inspired Coffee, Klett truly believes the shop will receive great traffic, in part because it’s in close proximity to the city’s beach.
But before it can open its doors, the shop will need to finish its renovation. According to Barber, the building has brand-new flooring and lighting. At the moment, they’re having a fireplace put in.
For now, Lake Geneva residents will have to sit tight until the official opening date! In the meantime, you can get a dose of inspiration by watching the following video about Inspired Coffee.
