CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — Eight months after it opened a new cafe, restaurant and workspace, a local non-profit is working to expand yet again.
The Two Foundation/Two & Company is preparing to open a new bed and breakfast.
The focus of the project is to further enhance workforce development and help fill staffing shortages in the hospitality sector.
News 5 has extensively covered the hotel/hospitality industry as it works to regain its footing out of the pandemic.
There are countless openings across the board.
Two & Company hopes its new on-site bed and breakfast location will be a potential answer to the ongoing problem.
News 5 previously highlighted the organization's efforts of "living a life without labels":
They train and hire people with all abilities and stress that a medical diagnosis should never define you.
Their latest effort aims to be another stream of revenue for the non-profit.
Steps away from the newly opened Two & Company cafe and restaurant in Chagrin Falls, there's something quaint and special in the works.
"This is our living room in our 1853 house," said Shari Hunter, founder of Two & Company and the Two Foundation.
SHunter, as well as her team including her sons Christian and Derrick, and her daughter Tiffany, have been quietly working behind the scenes on the TwoGather Inn.
"We want to serve more individuals and integrate our work place, integrate our schools, integrate our communities in a much more meaningful way," said Christian Hunter, President of Two & Company and the Two Foundation.
"It definitely changed my life being here," Derek Hunter said.
As News 5 Followed Through on this latest project, Shari took us room by room on the "work in progress".
"These are original floors, and we're of course going to refurnish them," Shari said.
She showed us their ongoing efforts as they overhaul the interior.
From the kitchen: "There were old cabinets that weren't original. People had used this house for different purposes," Shari said.
To the bedrooms and bathrooms: "This is gonna be really beautiful. We have a custom vanity being built," Shari said.
The historic home will transform into a bed and breakfast for guests to rent out for short-term stays.
But more importantly, Shari says this will be a training space for the non-profit where job-seekers of ALL abilities get a hands-on experience in the hospitality and hotel sector.
The Two serves students and clients from eight Northeast Ohio counties of all abilities.
"When we have guests staying here, they can deliver food. Once the guests leave, they'll be able to change the beds, wash the sheets, fold the towels and set it up for the next guest. We have hotels that hire from us. So, this is exciting for many reasons. Not only to be able to offer to the community and public. But it's another opportunity for training," Shari said.
The total project cost is estimated at $250,000.
It comes more than eight months after they moved their Two & Company cafe, gift shop and facilities into the old Euro Motor Sports Building, which the community has overwhelmingly embraced.
"We moved to this space. We doubled our space. We increased our volume of business which is our training opportunities," Christian said.
The Two Gather Inn is another opportunity to spread their mission and erase the stigma — proving anyone can do anything.
"We're all one team, and it's only us. The labels fall away and we're all people," Shari said.
Shari says this is all about experiential learning.
They hope to have the project completed this summer.
