The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Starbucks opens Korea’s first store staffed mostly with disabled

By Yim Hyun-su

Published : Dec. 3, 2020 - 15:03

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Starbucks employees communicate with each other in sign language. (Starbucks Korea) Starbucks employees communicate with each other in sign language. (Starbucks Korea)
Starbucks Korea opened a new store on Thursday with a commitment to prioritize disabled workers, in a first in the country.

The new location at the Seoul National University Dental Hospital will run with a staff of 12, six of whom are employees with disabilities

The coffeehouse giant also said sign language training and disability awareness education was given to staff as part efforts to improve the perception of those with disabilities.

Launching on the International Day of People with Disability, the newly opened store comes with a special interior design that “allows everyone to visit easily.”

A Braille menu, a tactile map and tablet PCs will be also available to assist customers with visual impairment and movement disabilities, the company said.

As of October, a total of 404 baristas with disabilities work at Starbucks stores across the country.

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)