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.

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After the store opened its doors to customers for the first time, Deaf activists like actress Marlee Matlin and model Nyle DiMarco celebrated the milestone on social media.

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In addition to helping Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers feel welcome, the Starbucks Signing Store aims to help non-ASL speaking customers learn fingerspelling as well.

The Signing Store has technology that's specifically dedicated to bridging communication gaps for those unfamiliar with ASL, such as digital notepads and two-way keyboard consoles. Every week, a chalkboard above the register also teaches a new "Sign of the Week" — a Starbucks-related term like "coffee" to help people expand their signing vocabulary.

The cafe also features a stunning mural created by Deaf artist and Gallaudet University professor Yiqiao Wang, and sells special coffee mugs designed by Deaf artist Jena Floyd.

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There are more than 200 Deaf employees working at Starbucks stores worldwide, but this store is the first of its kind in the U.S. It was reportedly inspired by a Signing Store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which opened in 2016 with nine Deaf partners.

"I want to see many more of these," Howard Rosenblum from the National Association of the Deaf, said at the store's pre-opening celebration. (The Starbucks Foundation gave Rosenblum a $50,000 donation to the association at the opening event.) "Please lead the way for other corporations and other businesses to open other signing stores and restaurants, starting this evening. Starting right here."