The student-focused coffee shop at Community Connections at Pinckney is soon to open. Lawrence school board members expressed their excitement Tuesday after hearing an update from staff behind the project.
The former elementary school at 810 W. Sixth St. now serves students in various district programs including Community Transition, or C-Tran, which provides independent living and workplace skill building for young adults ages 18 to 21 with disabilities.
The district launched the grant-funded Pinckney Bakery in August 2025, and students began working there in the spring. Staff were brainstorming how to launch a coffee shop there at that time, though they thought it was likely that it would take a couple of years to implement.
Empowering Brew is coming to fruition much sooner than that. It’s set for a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.
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The shop will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Principal Jenna Viscomi said they hope to be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on those days starting Friday, Oct. 23.
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“Empowering Brew is about much more than serving a great cup of coffee — it’s about creating authentic work experiences for our young adults with disabilities and helping them develop the skills they need to be successful after high school,” Viscomi told school board members.
“Our students are learning by doing in a real workplace with the support they need to be successful. They’re learning customer service skills like greeting customers, taking orders and communicating with others,” she continued. “They’re also developing important workplace skills, including preparing beverages, following recipes, managing supplies and practicing safety routines.”
School board member Kelly Jones, a baker’s daughter, said this was her favorite thing that’s happened since she’s been on the board.
“I’m just, like, beaming,” Jones said. “I just think it’s extraordinary what you’re doing, and I know how much this is going to have an impact on the kids that you love.”
Board member Shannon Kimball also said she’s excited for the shop and proud the district is taking the steps to make it happen.
Member Matt Lancaster said he can’t wait to become one of the shop’s regulars, and member Carole Cadue-Blackwood said she couldn’t think of a more perfect physical space than Pinckney for the project.
“It’s something that’s sacred to a lot of people,” Cadue-Blackwood said.
Board President Bob Byers said he’s glad to see the opening day is coming, and he challenged the team to come up with a drink for folks who don’t drink coffee.
Viscomi said the students have been practicing making specialty drinks. The featured drink for the ribbon cutting will be a rock chalk marshmallow mocha, she said.
The shop will accept credit cards and cash, Viscomi said.
The district had some technical issues getting the meeting livestream up and running.
As of publication time, the majority of the meeting was available in pieces on the YouTube channel at this link and the district’s main YouTube channel.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at [email protected]. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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August Rudisell/Lawrence TimesEmpowering Brew, student-centered coffee shop at Pinckney school, soon to open
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