Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers in the U.S. celebrate Starbucks’ first ‘Signing Store’

Starbucks took a big step toward inclusivity today by opening its first “Signing Store” for Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers in the United States.

The new Starbucks opened on Tuesday in Washington D.C., right next to Gallaudet University — the world’s only university designed to educate Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Though the “Signing Store” has the classic Starbucks look and feel, every employee, otherwise known as a partner, at the cafe is proficient in American Sign Language (ASL). To prioritize communication even further, Deaf partners wear aprons that display the fingerspelling of “Starbucks,” and hearing allies wear “I Sign” pins on theirs.   Read more…

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