Hugs Cafe will open next month in historic downtown McKinney and its operators promise it will be unlike anywhere you've dined.
The cafe is designed to employ adults with special needs and is the first of its kind in North Texas.
"We modify things to meet their abilities. We don't look at their disabilities," says founder Ruth Thompson.
70 percent of the staff, or "teammates," are adults with special needs and for many, this is their first paying job.
According to the 2010 census, more than 46,000 individuals with special needs live in Collin County.
"Once they age out of high school, for so many of them, there's not an opportunity. We're giving them that opportunity," says Thompson, who adds Hugs café will employ between 20 to 30 disabled adults.
The restaurant will open in October and will feature a menu created by locally renowned chefs.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
According to the Hugs Cafe website, its mission is to create an inviting place of training and employment for adults with special needs while providing dignity, self-worth and developing respect in the community.
"To us this is more than just a statement, it’s ingrained in our very soul. In everything we do, we strive to fulfill our Mission and to complete our goal of changing the world one Hug at a time." says the website.
More: HugsCafe.org
