Coffee Inclusive has expanded its Northeast Pennsylvania presence with the opening of a second coffee shop in Scranton, bringing the Pittston-based business into a new market and establishing a retail operation within the renovated CEDAR Center in South Side.
The new location at 526 Cedar Ave. was developed through a partnership between Coffee Inclusive and United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The expansion comes roughly three and a half years after Coffee Inclusive opened its original location on Kennedy Boulevard in Pittston.
For the company, the Scranton shop represents an opportunity to reach a larger customer base while becoming part of a broader redevelopment effort centered on the former bank building.
Second Location Expands Coffee Inclusive’s Reach
Coffee Inclusive is operated through PA Inclusive, a Pittston-based nonprofit organization. The company has used its coffee shops as both retail businesses and employment-training environments, creating opportunities for workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The decision to open in Scranton addresses a practical business consideration: reaching customers and potential employees who may not be able to travel to the Pittston location.
Frank Bartoli, president and CEO of PA Inclusive and Coffee Inclusive, said the organization had heard from families in the Scranton and Lackawanna County area who wanted access to the Pittston operation but faced transportation challenges.
The new location gives the company a physical presence in a different part of the regional market while reducing the distance customers and prospective employees have to travel.
That geographic expansion could also help Coffee Inclusive develop greater name recognition beyond Pittston. A second storefront gives the organization another customer base to serve and creates an opportunity to build relationships with residents, businesses and organizations in Scranton.
Coffee Shop Becomes Part of CEDAR Center Redevelopment
The location inside the CEDAR Center provides another important piece of the business story. The center occupies a rehabilitated former bank building that has been repositioned as a community-oriented facility operated by United Neighborhood Centers.
The building hosts adult education, English-language learning, career preparation, wellness programs and the year-round South Side Farmers Market. Placing a coffee shop within that mix gives Coffee Inclusive access to people already visiting the facility for classes, programs and events.
It also gives the CEDAR Center an on-site retail business capable of generating activity throughout the building.
For commercial properties undergoing redevelopment, attracting businesses that can serve both existing visitors and surrounding neighborhoods can help create a more active destination. Coffee shops can be particularly useful in that role because they typically serve customers throughout the day rather than concentrating activity around a single event or program.
Nearly $20,000 Raised for the Project
The new shop also required a fundraising effort before opening. Tony Shulde, chair of Coffee Inclusive’s fundraising campaign, said nearly $20,000 of a $25,000 goal had been raised for the Scranton location.
Grants and other funding sources helped make up the remaining amount needed to launch the business.
The fundraising illustrates that the Scranton location is not simply an additional storefront funded through the company’s existing operations. Establishing a new retail location required a combination of fundraising and outside financial support.
A New Business Within South Side
Coffee Inclusive’s arrival adds another commercial operation to a South Side facility that has been repositioned for multiple uses.
The CEDAR Center’s existing programming creates potential customer traffic for the coffee shop, while the business itself adds another reason for people to visit the building. The Saturday South Side Farmers Market is one example of an established activity that could provide additional exposure for the new storefront.
The relationship also gives Coffee Inclusive an opportunity to connect with organizations and individuals already participating in programs at the center. For a small business opening a second location, those existing connections can provide an initial customer base while the shop establishes its own presence in the surrounding neighborhood.
Lisa Durkin, president and CEO of United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, said the organization viewed the coffee shop as a strong addition to the building and its activities.
Expansion Creates More Employment Opportunities
Although the business has a social-enterprise component, its expansion also creates an opportunity to increase employment.
Coffee Inclusive’s operating model is built around employing and training people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Scranton location gives the organization another site at which to provide those opportunities.
That model is part of the company’s business structure rather than a separate initiative. Employees can gain experience in food service, customer interaction and other workplace responsibilities while the coffee shop operates as a conventional retail business serving the public.
The new location therefore has two functions: expanding Coffee Inclusive’s customer-facing operations and increasing the number of people who can participate in its employment model.
