Sleepy Coffee, Too Finally Opens their Doors 

If the line to get into Sleepy Coffee, Too’s April grand opening serves as any indication of the caffeine void the shop will fill on Sleepy Hollow’s Beekman Avenue, their baristas are going to be very busy this year. An actual red carpet lined the street as people eager for a peek at the handsomely outfitted space and its offerings queued down the block patiently, waiting for a chance to finally step inside. But patience is a virtue founder Kim Kaczmarek knows well. When she first ventured several years ago to expand on Sleepy Coffee (the program run by Sleepy Hollow high schoolers with disabilities that Kaczmarek set up in her past life as a special education teacher), renovating the space from scratch became quite the undertaking.

“This was an abandoned warehouse for 20 years,” she told River Journal, describing it as an “eyesore” on the block. “When I walked in with my contractor, Diego, it was a mess. But I could see it. Something just hit me — I could envision what it could look like, and he felt the same way.”

As renovations began in earnest, one question Kaczmarek fielded from supporters was constant: When will it open? Completely gutting the location plus passing the stringent inspections food establishments undergo ended up taking years of work. But now her vision to provide meaningful training and employment for people with disabilities finally came to light with the June 13 opening after a few final building odds and ends were tied up. 

Kaczmarek said her employees, who had operated out of a temporary dry goods store next door, have a true sense of pride and ownership of the business. “They just want to strive to be the best that they can be. It makes me really proud. That’s what I wanted for them.”

She also hopes others will learn about this untapped talent in the community. “I want them to see the possibilities of hiring people with disabilities because there’s a big misconception about that. And I’m hoping other businesses will want to follow our model.”

Her roster includes 17 employees with different disabilities working as baristas, greeters, sales associates, and even a DJ, who creates the shop’s playlists and will spin live once a week to start. They serve flavored coffees from Double Barrel Roasters along with the full gamut of espresso drinks, hot cocoa, cold brew, and iced tea. Inspiration for Sleepy Coffee, Too’s nibbles have a special connection. “Once we start baking, our menu is very homey,” Kaczmarek said. “They’re all recipes that my mother taught me when I was little — comfort foods, like banana bread.”

Tim Royston, 32, who sells the shop’s merchandise (including tees, coffee for home, and totes) has been with Sleepy Coffee, Too for two years. The shop’s message has resonated with him in a way he wants to make permanent. “I have a couple tattoos,” he said, “and I’m planning to get our motto on one of my arms: Where kindness is served one cup at a time.”

Along with opening the space for community events and peer-mentor programming, Kaczmarek is excited for people to finally hang out, work, and gather there. Royston, whose station is right by the front door, couldn’t agree more. “Just come on by. It’s a really cool place,” he said. 

Kaczmarek says they have already hosted some events including a birthday party, a movie screening and roundtable discussion and a Pride event.

Sleepy Coffee, Too’s opening schedule will run Thursdays through Sundays, and will eventually stretch to Tuesdays through the weekend.  

• sleepycoffeetoo.org