Bitty & Beau’s Coffee – Wilmington, NC

I had the chance to travel to North Carolina this summer. I spent a few days there. It was so nice to explore, to wander, to just relax and go where the days took me. I had a list of places I wanted to visit while I was there, spots that I hoped to see.

I love food, so many of the places on my list to visit were food related. At the top of my list was Bitty & Beau’s Coffee. I’ve long admired what they do, what they stand for as a company. I couldn’t wait to stop in for a morning visit.

My first visit to Bitty & Beau’s in Wilmington, NC didn’t disappoint. The space was open and bright with ceilings that reached stories above my head. The shop was filled with live edge slab tables with galvanized metal legs and details. It felt clean and bright, fresh and inviting.

It was filled with my favorite sort of coffee shop vibe. It was warm and open. There was plenty of space to gather at large tables with friends, or as I did, stop in for a visit all by myself.

I was greeted warmly at the counter where I placed an order for a vanilla latte and chocolate muffin. I paid for my order and was presented with a playing card, the two of hearts. I was asked if I had ever been there before. When I explained that I had come all the way from New Hampshire to visit, she smiled back at me and said, “Wow! I’m so glad that you’re here.”

She explained that the playing card I had been given was my order number. It would be called out when my breakfast was ready. I walked around for a few minutes looking at their map to show where visitors had come from, reading more about their company. It wasn’t long until I heard “two of hearts” loudly exclaimed from behind the bar. My coffee and muffin were ready. I was famished and couldn’t wait to sit down and dig in.

To my delight, the muffin had been warmed up. It was toasty and felt as though it had come fresh out of the oven. The warmth made the aroma of the chocolate more pronounced and made me even more eager to take a bite.  The muffin was delicious as was the coffee. 

Not every space feels welcoming when you visit alone. This one did. It was the kind of place that I felt comfortable in, where I wanted to stay for a while.

As I sat at my small table, I watched as other customers came and went. I soaked up the welcoming feeling of the space. I decided to linger, not to rush on to the next place on my list just yet. It was inspiring just to be there.

I knew that the business model of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee would inspire me. It’s the reason I had wanted to visit. It certainly didn’t disappoint.

Building a coffee company around the goal of “changing the way people see other people” is about so much more than just making good coffee. Their shops were designed to fully include people with disabilities, to offer a place where all people are seen and included. In this space, each person is celebrated for their abilities.

It might seem like a simple shift to look upon people and see their abilities and talents instead of focusing on the areas where they might have a challenge facing them. In the end, we all have challenges, difficulties, and areas we struggle with. We’ve mostly been taught to hide them, to pretend that we don’t have them at all.

Through their business, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee challenges that idea. Instead of hiding, they celebrate the wonderful abilities of the people who work in their shops. Then they open the doors and welcome everyone inside to experience how wonderful it is.

Bitty & Beau’s bills itself as more than a coffee shop, more than a coffee company. After visiting, I can tell you that is an understatement. As much as I love coffee, and I do, their company is truly about much more than coffee.

What they really are is a glimpse at what sort of community we could have if we chose to see the potential in others, if we saw the best in each other. That’s the sort of community I want to help build, that I want for my children.

Before I traveled back home, I stopped in at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee again. This time I came with my laptop and sat at a table for a few hours, writing and just enjoying being in such a warm and welcoming space. When I placed my breakfast order, the employee behind the counter recommended the lemon cranberry muffin. He explained that they fill each muffin with fresh lemon curd. I couldn’t possibly say no to that. He was right. It was exceptional.

When I picked up my iced latte, I noticed that there was a handwritten message on the side of my cup. Someone had carefully printed, “We love you” on the side. What a delightful way to being my morning, to embark on a new day.

I hope to visit again soon for a great coffee, a warm muffin, and the reminder that we can choose to accept and celebrate each other and ourselves, that we can lead with love. Perhaps we can also be inspired by a coffee company that does just that.