Giving Compass' Take:

• Coffee chain Starbucks opened its first signing store in the United States for the deaf community in Washington, D.C.

• Will more global chains follow suit? What are the challenges to opening up stores catered for the deaf community? 

• Read about the venture fund that invests in deaf-owned and deaf-run companies. 

Global coffee chain Starbucks has launched its first store in the US staffed entirely by employees proficient in American Sign Language (ASL).

The store, which opened on Tuesday in Washington, DC, has been completely designed with deaf and hard of hearing customers in mind in an effort to “drive greater connection," according to Starbucks.

And campaigners have hailed the move as a great step in promoting accessibility and offering employment and career advancement opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing people.

Howard Rosenblum, CEO of the National Association of the Deaf, said he “applauds” Starbucks for its latest effort, which will see Starbucks hiring 20-25 deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing partners to staff the store.

The store, located at 6th & H Street near Gallaudet University, isn’t Starbucks’ first signing store globally, however. The first opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2016, and the team behind the US store has been heavily inspired by the success of the first.

Gallaudet is a significant location, as it's just down the street from the campus of Gallaudet University — which is the world's only university uniquely designed to educate deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

As well as only hiring staff who can sign, the store also includes design features such as an open environment for communication and low-glare reflective surfaces, according to Starbucks’ statement.

The hope is that the store will also create learning opportunities for the hearing community, whether it's learning how to sign words like espresso from the "sign of the week" chalkboard, or gaining a greater understanding of the deaf experience, said Starbucks.

Read the full article about signing store by Imogen Calderwood at Global Citizen