Bitty and Beau’s Coffee opens in bigger location

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A popular coffee shop in the port city reopened today with a new name and a much bigger location.

Beau and Bitty were so excited about the big day.

“I’m excited for the grand opening,” Beau said.

Thursday was the grand re-opening of their family’s coffee shop originally named Beau’s Coffee Shop.

“We had a vision five months ago to open a little coffee shop and employ people with intellectual disabilities,” Owner Amy Wright said.

Amy and Ben Wright started making national headlines for their vision. Ben said word traveled fast here at home.

“Allen Rippy and Mike Ashcraft were surfing or paddle boarding out in Wrigtsville Beach and just talking and Mike was saying it’s so wonderful, but so small,” Ben said.

That is when the vision got bigger.

“Next thing we know, Allen Rippy and his family said we’d donate the use of this space for you,” Ben said.

Amy said they went from 500 square feet to an old hummer dealership.

“Here we are five and a half months later and we’ve grown into this huge 5,000 square foot space and it’s all because of this community and the way people have supported our mission,” Amy said.

That is not all they are celebrating. They are re-opening on Beau’s birthday and Amy said he had a very special birthday wish.

“Beau who is turning 12 today said, ‘well, lets put Bitty’s name on the sign too’, so it was a no brainer,” Amy said.

Amy also said they have double the employees.

“Now, we have 40 employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Amy said.

Ben said they are big changes that still focus on one big mission.

“This is a population of people who are just in my opinion very ignored, very disregarded, very discounted as people and we’re trying to sort of flip that on it’s head,” Ben said.

Amy said they also have a new menu that includes breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads and homemade gelato.