Bitty & Beau’s Coffee opens this week in South End

The backstory: The coffee shop is personal for founders Amy and Ben Wright who opened their first coffee shop in 2016 in Wilmington and named it after their youngest children who both have Down Syndrome.

Since opening, Amy says the Wilmington shop became a destination for locals and tourists, something she hopes happens here in Charlotte, too.

“Bitty & Beau’s has resonated not just with the families who were hoping to find a job for their child, but for a way to show solidarity, show support for a human’s rights movement,” she says.

Growth: Bitty & Beau’s currently has 21 shops open or in the works, eight of which are franchise locations like the one opening in South End. Local owners Amie and Vic Cennamo have a teenage son with autism, which is what led them to want to open a Bitty & Beau’s here, Amy says.

What to expect: The coffee shop will have an open concept feel where you’ll be able to watch your coffee being prepared and chat with staff members.

• There’s a food menu as well with items like breakfast sandwiches and burritos.
• “We wanted to plant ourselves where we thought we’d reach a lot of people, and I think we hit the jackpot there at the Design Center,” Amy says.

Details: The grand opening of the South End location will include a 10 am ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Location: The coffee shop is located at 1930 Camden Rd. between Shake Shack and Marine Layer.

Here’s a look around the shop: