Hugs Café, located at 224 E. Virginia St., McKinney, will open Hugs Greenhouse at 3054 CR 205 near McKinney and the Trinity Falls development.

The greenhouse will include two covered greenhouses, one open greenhouse and a barn used as a break room, storage and office space. The barn will also be used as a studio where employees can learn to make items such as wooden planters, wind chimes and more. In addition to the barn, the greenhouse will have a retail shop by the road, Hugs Café Founder and President Ruth Thompson said.

Hugs Greenhouse, which expects to open in July, will employ 12-15 adults with special needs and disabilities. As the greenhouse grows and becomes a woodworking shop during the offseason, Thompson said the number of employees is expected to increase.

"After watching some of our teammates enjoy working in the herb garden behind the cafe, I asked our board, 'Why not open Hugs Greenhouse where we grow bedding plants and sell to the general public,'" Thompson said. "This way we will be able to design it so that we can even employ adults with disabilities in wheelchairs or others who cannot or don't want to work in food service."

Land for the project was donated to the cafe and Bill Crump, former owner of Crump's Nursery in McKinney, volunteered to run operations at the greenhouse.

"It was blessing after blessing after blessing,"  Thompson said.

The greenhouse will begin with bedding plants then add herbs and seasonal items, Thompson said.



469-301-6900. www.hugscafe.org