A local nonprofit coffee shop has made Springfield's coffee scene go beyond espresso shots and pastries — it has a mission. Brew21 Extra Chromosome Coffee Co. has opened a permanent coffee shop at 209 W. Commercial Street inside the Upside Down Mercantile. The business gives young adults with special needs new opportunities to work, socialize and thrive through meaningful employment.
Brew21 began as a mobile coffee bar and has grown into a community-centered café that serves classic espresso drinks, baked goods and roasted coffee while championing greater workplace inclusivity in Springfield. Its owners said it was born out of a belief that "nothing is impossible with God."
"Riley, one of our employees, was just interviewed a while ago, and he said this was his favorite place," said Whitney Justice, co-owner of Brew21, "so I think that's pretty common. My son Wyatt, I interviewed him, and he said it was the most awesome place to be, the most awesome job. Like, I think that it feels good to them to have a sense of belonging, to have a job, to have friends at their job that are like them."
The brick-and-mortar space inside the Mercantile represents a major milestone for the organization, allowing it to expand beyond pop-up events and mobile service to become a daily gathering spot for customers and staff alike. Community members can grab freshly ground Brew21 beans to take home or enjoy a cup with friends while supporting a local social mission.
"For them (employees) to have a place, and to have a job and to be able to get up and go to work and do what everybody else gets to do," said Justice, "that's not common for them. So, to me, it's success if they're getting to do that regularly."
Students who show their student IDs can get a drink for $5. Brew21 is open Wednesday, 8a.m.- 2p.m.; Thursday, 8a.m.- 3p.m.; and Friday through Saturday, 8a.m.- 4p.m.
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