Hugs Café Inc. has opened a new $10 million headquarters in McKinney, a facility designed to expand job training and employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. The nonprofit organization moved its operations into the two-story building on July 2, consolidating its café, hospitality training academy, and administrative offices under one roof.
The 13,500-square-foot facility is located at 221 Andrews St. in downtown McKinney. McKinney is about 7 miles south of Melissa. The building includes a training kitchen, four classrooms, a rooftop deck, and an outdoor patio. This new location allows the organization to double its training capacity, increasing the number of trainees served in each class from six to twelve.
Ruth Thompson, the founder and chief executive officer of Hugs Café, stated that the expanded capacity enables the organization to train up to 32 individuals during each 12-week semester. The facility aims to prepare adults with disabilities for careers within the hospitality industry.
Funding for the project included a $970,000 contribution from the McKinney Community Development Corp. for infrastructure improvements. KDC served as the developer, Corgan acted as the architect, and Brasfield & Gorrie served as the contractor. Construction on the project began in May of the previous year.
