Starbucks has been around for nearly 50 years. Their first branch was opened on March 31st, 1971, in Seattle, USA. Today there are over 82,000 shops in 80 countries. Starbucks have 5 signing stores in 4 countries (signing stores are specifically designed to accommodate the deaf community and celebrate them). These shops are a relatively recent innovation; the first was opened in 2016 and they plan to launch more. 

Features 

As well as low-glare surfaces and lower counter-tops, the lighting is designed to facilitate visual communication and doesn’t cause eye straining. ‘Starbucks’ is not only written in sign language on the aprons, but on the windows too. A mural created by a deaf artist brings it all together, encouraging the celebration of deaf culture and giving an overall more community-feel. 

Communication 

The primary method of communication in the shops is sign language. Each country has its own version of sign language, which is different to other countries’. One example of a difference between BSL (British Sign Language) and ASL (American Sign Language) is that whilst BSL signs can use two hands, ASL signs only use one. The signing stores use other ways of communicating too - mostly technological. Customers can write their orders on tablets and screens alert them when their drinks or foods are ready to collect. 

Staff

Not only are these special Starbucks for deaf people, most of the employees are also deaf, hard of hearing or their parents are deaf, and they learnt sign language as their first language. All employees are fluent in sign language. The staff wear green aprons, spelling ‘Starbucks’, in sign language as well as an ‘I sign’ pin.

Locations

The first Starbucks signing store was opened in a popular shopping center in Kuala Lumpur (the capital of Malaysia) which was followed by another in the same country. The second one is located in Penang, in the center of the city’s extraordinary deaf community. The Washington DC signing store is located near Gallaudet University, a college particularly for deaf and hard of hearing students. In Guangzhou, Starbucks is near the recognizable Guangdong Deaf People Association, whom they are partnered with to offer workshops and opportunities, as well as plenty of others around the world. The most recent signing store was opened in Japan’s capital, Tokyo, in an area that has been part of the deaf community for a long time.