Bitty & Beau’s, a coffee shop chain that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Annapolis location Saturday.

Two of Ben and Amy Wright’s four children, Bitty and Beau, have Down syndrome. Another one, Lillie, has autism. When the couple learned that 80% of those with intellectual or developmental disabilities were unemployed nationwide, they got to work coming up with their own solution. The first Bitty & Beau’s Coffee location opened in January 2016 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The Annapolis shop, which opened at 124 Dock St., in February 2020, is one of a handful of Wright-owned locations. Inside, are hot and cold drinks, pastries, and branded drinkware and apparel.

Amy Wright said she and her husband knew they had to open in Annapolis when they came for a visit.

“We visited Annapolis, loved the vibe there, the City Dock, [and] wanted to be a part of that community,” Wright said. “And it’s great because we get a lot of community support in Annapolis, but we also get all the visitors that come.”

Shortly after opening the Annapolis location, the company began franchising. Now there are 19 Bitty & Beau’s across the country with more planned. The chain employs more than 450 people with disabilities.

“There’s just such a demand for what we’re doing,” Wright said. “With 80% of people with disabilities unemployed in our country, every city could use a Bitty and Beau’s Coffee, but being very strategic about what our next moves are, where we go, who we work with, to do that is very important.”

According to Wright, the Annapolis location opened just six weeks before pandemic shutdowns began, and though they did close temporarily, the business found a resurgence the moment it reopened.

“When people were leaving their homes, they wanted to go somewhere and have a great experience because they had been cooped up for so long,” she said. “We made that for them and really thrived through all of that.”

The anniversary celebration is set to take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Expect dancing, a fire truck, coffee, and hot chocolate samples.

“We just realized that what we had created was a place where people would come in, grab a great cup of coffee, but also spend time with our employees who have disabilities, and through that experience start to see them differently. And so, our coffee shops are a place of connection,” Wright said.

Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.