A First in Türkiye from Starbucks: A Sign Language Concept Store

Starbucks opened its first Signing Store concept in Türkiye on December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities. With consultancy from the Association for Educational Activities of the Hearing Impaired (IEEF), Starbucks transformed its Istanbul Göztepe Loft store into a more accessible and inclusive "Community Store Starbucks Elden Ele." The project offers a brand new meeting place for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Starbucks Elden Ele is designed as a space where deaf individuals can both work and come together as a community. The store aims to create a more accessible Starbucks experience for everyone through training, workshops, and social events.

Sign Language Coffee Experience at Starbucks Elden El Store

The "Coffee Dictionary," created as part of the project, supports sign language communication at every stage, from the menu to the service process. This special dictionary is positioned both at the cash register and on digital screens, allowing customers to easily access the menu. This allows visitors to place their coffee orders in sign language. By providing sign language training to all partners working in the store, Starbucks eliminates communication barriers and strengthens social awareness. The "Starbucks Elden El" store is positioned not only as a coffee spot but also as a meeting space reflecting a culture of equality, understanding, and collaborative production.

Speaking at the opening ceremony held on December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities Figen Ilgaz, Vice President of Starbucks Eurasia, commented on the project: “At Starbucks, we view inclusivity as an integral part of our business. Our 'Starbucks Elden El' store isn't just a coffee shop; it's a testament to the possibility of inclusivity, collaborative production, and communication in every language. We're proud to have created a strong space for the deaf and hard of hearing community with this special store. By transforming our stores in various cities with this concept in 2026, we will continue to create more space for the deaf and hard of hearing community and expand our journey of inclusivity.”

Community Store Starbucks Elden Ele, the first Starbucks store in Türkiye designed specifically for the deaf and hearing impaired community, invites everyone to share their coffee experience through sign language.

About the project Ebru Akça, President of the Hearing Impaired Education Activities Association da He stated that the "Elden El" (From Hand to Hand) project, prepared for approximately 3 million hearing-impaired individuals living in our country, has been reinforced with this special store, in addition to opening ways to access services in their own language, and that the store is a space that hearing-impaired individuals can use for all their needs beyond their social hours. Akca, “We are delighted to be a part of this enjoyable project and would like to thank the entire Starbucks family for their efforts in preparing the store, where our hearing-impaired friends will have a pleasant time,” he said.

Source: HORECA TREND and Starbucks