SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — A local coffee shop known for its inclusivity opened a new location.
Coffee Inclusive in Pittston is known for its coffee, pastries, and being a space of inclusion and opportunity and on Monday, they opened a new location in Scranton.
Operating out of the CEDAR center, a former bank building, the new location shares the original’s focus on education, advocacy, and training by employing people with disabilities and autism to work alongside experienced baristas.
Workers say the opening was a big success and that they’re appreciative of the opportunities to show that someone with a disability is just as employable as everyone else.
“We’re glad that the community come out to support us,” said employee Anthony Heise. “It shows that we’re not different than everybody else. We’re still humans. We still can do everything that regular people can do. Just because we might have setbacks, but to us, that’s not a setback to us. We are grooving and moving along here, and it doesn’t even show that we have disabilities. It’s nice that we have businesses here now that are starting to realize that people with disabilities can actually be a part of something.”
Workers and management alike hope the new cedar avenue location will continue to spread their message of acceptance and inclusivity one coffee at a time.