Starbucks special store Japan opens the first Starbucks sign language store nonowa national store

On June 23, 2020, Starbucks announced on its website that it would open its first sign language store in Japan, the nonowa National Store.

Judging from the promotional pictures on Starbucks' official website, the environment of this national sign language store called nonowa is no different from that of ordinary Starbucks stores, except that the sign language store has a string of obvious sign language symbols on the signboard, which means Starbucks, which is known to be the exclusive "language password" for people who understand sign language and is also a classic symbol of Starbucks sign language stores.

Most of the employees at the Starbucks sign language store in Japan are hard of hearing, and 20 of the 25 staff are hard of hearing. Guests can point to the goods they need when ordering. You can also learn the corresponding sign language through the illustrations on the screen.

Unlike the previous Starbucks sign language stores that have been opened around the world, the nonowa national store in Japan has more elements aimed at providing services for people with disabilities.

For example, Starbucks nonowa national store equal position sign uses "☝. ✌. 👌", which are very easy to understand symbols to replace the traditional Arabic numeral "1.2.3".

In order to better communicate with customers, the store also warmly prepared order display boards and small blackboards and so on.

The highlight is that there is also a wall painting in the store. Judging from the dynamic effect below, this wall painting is a picture made up of a lot of sign language to describe actions, which seems to express some kind of code language.

At present, the Japanese sign language store will continue to provide more services for people with disabilities. Starbucks said: I hope guests will regard it as a community for communication.

In fact, Starbucks has already opened a number of Starbucks sign language stores.

In 2016, Starbucks opened the world's first Starbucks hearing impaired and friendly store in Malaysia, followed by its first full sign language store in the United States in Washington, D.C., on October 23, 2018.

In China, so far, in order to achieve barrier-free communication between baristas and guests, according to statistics, Starbucks China has six sign language stores in Guangzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Qingdao.

On September 3, 2020, Starbucks opened its first Starbucks sign language store in Beijing West Railway Camp Wanda. The first sign language store in Beijing has seven deaf employees, the vast majority of whom are post-90s.

On December 3, 2020, Starbucks opened its first Starbucks sign language store in Hangzhou. The store, located in Binjiang City Star in Hangzhou, has 14 partners, including 7 hearing impaired ones.

January 28, 2021: Starbucks opens its first sign language store in Shanghai, located in Huangpu Green City, with 12 partners, including 5 hearing impaired partners.

On February 24, 2021, Starbucks opened its first sign language store in Chengdu. The Starbucks sign language store has 13 partners, six of whom are hearing impaired.

On March 31, 2021, Starbucks opened its first sign language store in Qingdao, which is made up of five hearing impaired partners and eight good hearing partners.

Previously, the media also said that Starbucks'"sign language store" provides job opportunities for people with disabilities and creates another culture of Starbucks coffee, which spreads sign language culture through coffee, providing love to society and creating a free space for people with disabilities.

Starbucks officials also said that deaf baristas will be seen wearing special green aprons in sign language stores in the future, and that Starbucks will continue to connect with deaf and hearing impaired communities in a more inclusive way.

* Image source: Internet