COLUMBIA – Love Coffee is not your typical coffee shop. It’s a chance for people with disabilities in mid-Missouri to be independent, make friends and grow professionally.

“All together we have 29 people on staff, 19 of those employees are people with either an intellectual or physical disability,” said Love Coffee manager, David Wilson. “We’re hoping we can create an environment to where they feel welcomed.”

Before the cafe opened full time, management held a hiring party to surprise the new employees and celebrate their accomplishment.

“We told them they were going to a coffee shop for training and they got off the bus one by one… we held up signs and had people yelling, screaming, clapping,” Wilson said.

Dozens of people attended the invite-only event to show their support and cheer on the new employees. 

“I felt like I just won a championship for some kind of sport,” said Tomas Swenson. “I kept telling other people, ‘Am I dreaming? Is this really happening?'”

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