SimplyBe Coffee marked the opening of its newest location with a ribbon cutting inside the Giant Food store in Purcellville, drawing town and county officials, business leaders and community members to celebrate a coffee shop built around a mission of inclusion.
The shop is the second location for SimplyBe Coffee, an enterprise of Purcellville based Tree of Life Ministries that employs individuals with disabilities. It is also the first SimplyBe Coffee to operate inside a Giant Food store.
A New Beginning
Event host Kayla opened the ceremony by thanking Will and Susanna for their dedication to the partnership that brought SimplyBe Coffee to its new home.
Among those recognized for attending were Purcellville Town Council members Erin Rayner, Caleb Stought and Kevin Wright, along with Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman.
Mayor Christopher Bertaut welcomed the crowd and framed the morning as a fresh start for the town.
“It’s good to be here today as we celebrate the opening of SimplyBe’s new location in Purcellville,” Bertaut said. “Ribbon cuttings are always exciting because they mark a new beginning. We’re celebrating a new business, new jobs, and new opportunities. But today is about something even more meaningful. SimplyBe is not just serving coffee, it’s serving a purpose.”
More Than Coffee
Bertaut emphasized that SimplyBe Coffee is a mission-driven organization that removes barriers for individuals with different abilities, and he credited Tree of Life Ministries for its vision in providing mentorship, employment and daily encouragement to help individuals build independence and hope.
“At a time when many people talk about inclusion, SimplyBe Coffee lives it every day,” he said. “This organization was founded on the belief that every person has value, every person has gifts to share, and every person deserves the opportunity to grow and succeed.”
“Every smile at the counter, every cup of coffee served, and every customer interaction reflects a mission that goes far beyond business,” Bertaut added.
Steve Blackwell, representing the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the brand’s expansion from Leesburg to Purcellville.
The First, but Not the Last
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall spoke about the lack of opportunities for individuals with different abilities once they age out of the school system at age 22, and she highlighted the significance of the new shop as the first SimplyBe Coffee inside a Giant Food store.
“It’s not the only one, it’s the first one,” Randall said.
“One of the things that we hear at the Loudoun County Board and the Loudoun County School Board is that when people turn 21, 22 years old, when they have different abilities, they have nothing to do,” she said. “There’s no place for them to go. There’s no place for them to work. They age out of the school system at age 22, and parents are always like, ‘Now what do I do?’ And we have not had that many great answers, to be quite honest.”
Randall said the new location offers an answer. “And so what we’re doing right now, we’re saying you have a community, and you have a job, and you have worth, and you have value, and you have love, and we need you in our community,” she said. “That’s what this is. That’s what Tree of Life has been doing for everything, and that’s what we’re doing today.”
She framed the shop as a beginning rather than an end. “We need so many more opportunities for people with different abilities. This is the first, but not the last,” Randall said, adding, “To whom much is given, much is required. And I would say, Tree of Life, you are giving back to this community in huge ways.”
Giant Food Lends Its Support
Sherry Teycer, co-chair of the Giant Food Disability Awareness Business Resource Group, spoke about Giant’s commitment to creating safe and welcoming spaces for people with developmental disabilities. On behalf of the company, she presented a $1,000 donation to Tree of Life Ministries to support its ongoing work in the community.
Speakers encouraged customers to remember that every purchase at the shop supports a larger mission of inclusion.
Honoring the Team
Jennifer Del Grande, chief communication officer for SimplyBe, introduced several associates, including Sam, Abby, Georgia and Emma. Del Grande noted that Sam has been with the organization since it started in 2020 and that Georgia works for both Giant and SimplyBe. Giant Food presented special gifts to the recognized associates to honor their contributions to the shop.
The ceremony closed with a formal ribbon cutting featuring multiple ribbons, oversized scissors and group photos with associates, volunteers and local officials.
