Gerry Cafe, a brand new coffee shop that will proudly employ people with disabilities, is opening its first cafe in Arlington Heights, located at 1802 N. Arlington Heights Rd.
Owner Natalie Griffin launched Brewing Opportunities, a 501(c)(3) organization, four years ago and even held a kickoff event to gain more support. Now, Griffin and her business partner Amy Philpott have officially signed a lease for its first cafe and are aiming to open sometime in Spring 2023, according to the Daily Herald. Gerry Cafe will move into the former home of Starbucks on the south side of Palatine Rd. Renovations are underway, and owners plan to hire and train early next year.
“We know the community will embrace our opening and our employees, and we’re so excited about that,” Griffin told the Daily Herald. “We’re just so pumped to be moving onto this next phase: to get in there with our contractor, to get in there with that hammer, and purchase our freezers and fridges and ovens, and really get to work on our training program and all of that. I think it’s going to be amazing for Arlington Heights to have this.”
Griffin, a former special education teacher, realized there weren’t many opportunities for adults aged 22 and older with special needs. She was inspired by a cafe in North Carolina that follows the same business model. Wanting to make a difference but not having any experience as a business owner, she teamed up with Philpott, who previously owned the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop. At one point, Philpott also served as the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce board president. She connected with Griffin through her own experiences, as her aunt Geralyn Wehmer (AKA Aunt Gerry) was born with Down syndrome and passed away when Philpott was only four.
After the owners held several successful fundraisers and a launch party at Tuscan Market in December 2018, the goal was to open the cafe at the beginning of 2020. When the pandemic hit, it caused all progress to take an 18-month pause. Now, the dream is getting closer to becoming a reality. When the cafe opens, customers can expect various breakfast and lunch options made from scratch daily. Some menu items include yogurt parfaits, fresh-baked cookies, muffins, egg sandwiches, salads, and wraps. Catering will be available as well.
To encourage those with developmental disabilities, several local high school districts have organized a strategy team to help develop an accessible job application that will be posted on the cafe’s website for a few months. A panel of former human resources professionals will conduct interviews to hire about 40 individuals.
“We just want them to shine and have our community see how capable these individuals are, how valuable they are, and how they can contribute,” Griffin said. “That is our main mission here … that community engagement. And a lot of our typical everyday interactions do not happen with people with disabilities. So this gives an opportunity for people to understand how capable so many of these individuals are and how they just need to have a chance.”
