Employees take an order at Starbucks first U.S. signing store in D.C. (Joshua Trujillo/Starbucks)

Twenty-four deaf and hard-of-hearing employees are running Starbucks’ first sign-language store, communicating using American Sign Language. Customers can order in ASL or by writing on a tech pad, and a display screen tells them when their drinks are ready. The store is a step towards providing more employment opportunities for deaf individuals and immersing hearing individuals in deaf spaces.