Autistic owned coffee shop

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While Red, White & Brew appears to be a normal coffeehouse on the outside, its owners will tell you that a cup of coffee at the shop is served with a side of perspective.

“It’s just a beacon of hope for people with disabilities,” owner of Red, White & Brew Michael Coyne said.

Coyne lives with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder. As an athlete with Special Olympics of Rhode Island, Coyne participated in a program in the hospitality field in the hopes of one day landing a job in a restaurant.

But, he said after several attempts at employment, he grew tired of being told “no.”

“As soon as I turned 21 and applied [for a job], they did not hire me,” Coyne said.

Coyne said he used this constant rejection as motivation to make a living on his own terms. So with the help of his parents, he took the necessary steps to open his own business.

Michael took business classes through the Rhode Island Developmental Disability Center, and upon completion, he opened Red, White & Brew.

Situated on the other side of the coffee shop, is a retail shop called “Budding Violet,” where you can purchase products crafted by some of Michael’s peers.

With a big smile on his face, Michael explained his goal is to run the shop with a theme of inclusion. He said he plans to hire employees with and without special needs.

“We just want to integrate,” he added.