Coffee with a purpose coming to Lowell

Mar 1

Be Café, a nonprofit that provides meaningful employment to people with intellectual disabilities, will open its newest location in Lowell on March 21. Liam's Be Café is located at 1150 Hudson Street, just north of Lowell's Litehouse Family YMCA.

Liam's Be Café is named after 21-year-old Lowell resident Liam Doyle who has worked as Be-rista at Brody's Be Café in Ada for the last four years.

"I am so excited," said Doyle. "I know a lot of people in Lowell and I can't wait to make them their favorite coffee drink or smoothie. I hope some of my old Ada customers will come visit me here too.”

The original Be Café, Brody’s Be Cafe in Ada Village, opened in October 2019 and now employs 20 Be-ristas and a handful of dedicated coaches. Be Café defines a Be-ristas as a person whose job involves preparing and serving different types of coffee–all while inspiring others to be confident in their abilities and kind.

Many Lowell community members, including Godwin Plumbing, provided their time and expertise to build out the space.

"Liam's Be Café came together really quickly," said Rachel Stadt, Executive Director, Be Café. "We had lots of help from generous people at our host location, the Garden Foundation. It's always a huge team effort to get a cafe opened and operating. West Michigan is amazingly generous and people are inspired by our Be-ristas. It's a fabulous thing to be a part of."

Be Cafés are full-service espresso and coffee shops that offer smoothies, refreshers, teas, lattes, hot chocolates, baked goods, and snacks. Coffee beans are sourced from Uncommon Coffee Roasters in Saugatuck.

The opening of Liam's Be Café in Lowell is the fourth Be Café, joining Kenzie’s Be Café in Grand Haven, Maggie’s Be Café in Hudsonville, and Brody’s Be Café in Ada in their effort to provide meaningful employment to people with intellectual disabilities.

"We know what our Be-rista are capable of and it's more than many people may think. They need to be given opportunities to grow, just like you and me," said Stadt. "Some of our employees are ready and able to take the skills and confidence they have gained here into the broader marketplace. We hope more and more businesses follow our lead. We know that approximately 80 percent of this population is not employed. We hope to be a catalyst to change that."