Local Business Spotlight: 321 Coffee
321 Coffee is a heartening coffee shop staffed by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Their mission is to provide meaningful work opportunities to these adults by incorporating them into all aspects of the business. They greet customers, take the order, process checkout, prepare and serve the drinks, they do it all.
Lindsay Wrege, CEO of 321 Coffee, told me the amazing story behind the local business. Even though she is not a coffee drinker herself, she understands the conversational factor of the beverage.
“It’s a small secret, but I don’t actually drink coffee. I know it’s ironic that I then opened a coffee shop. My favorite drink that we serve is our iced tea, it’s fruity and delicious! ”
The organization first started in the fall of 2017 as a student organization on NC State’s campus. With a tremendous amount of support from students and families in the area, they grew to a federal nonprofit and opened in the Farmers’ Market location in March of 2019.
I have personally visited the location at the Farmer’s Market and it is truly an inviting space! From the dark wood planks, brightly lightened by string lights and the welcoming faces, it is hard to miss. The most remarkable part is that it is completely built and ran by students.
The space was designed by a first-year Architecture Student, built by a Construction Engineering student, and all of the artwork was created by a high school student. With the large growth in just the past year, Lindsay is excited about the future, exploring the different opportunities that can happen!
“I am lucky to have a disability - I have Down Syndrome. Lindsay saw the true potential of people with disabilities just like me. Usually people like us don’t do anything because we are different. My favorite part [of 321 Coffee] is that the organization allows the community of people with disabilities like me to have something to do that is like what typical people do.”
When asking Lindsay what the most rewarding part of her business is she said that spending her weekends at the Farmer’s market watching the volunteers take pride in their work is incredible. She loves watching the relationships that grow and conversations between customers, most finding out they all have A LOT in common.
Hearing what volunteer, Matthew Schwab had to say about working at 321 Coffee reinforced why what they are doing is important. This is exactly the outcome they are striving for.
This is truly an amazing story about students with a lunch time idea that has turned into such an inspirational business. If you are picking up produce at the Farmer’s Market I hope you all stop by and grab a cup of coffee, exchange smiles, or have a conversation with the amazing people of 321 Coffee!