Hugs & Mugs

The "Hugs & Mugs" Career Training Program is a retail café and gift shop run by adult mentors with Down syndrome and program support staff. Established in 2014. The "Hugs & Mugs" Career Training Program is a retail café and gift shop run by adult mentors with Down syndrome and program support staff. The eighteen-week career training program places GiGi Academy graduates as "interns" at Hugs & Mugs, which sells specialty coffee and gelato, as well as personalized gifts including water bottles, cell phone cases, travel mugs, and more. Business owner information Ben W. Manager Ben is a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago and majored in Integrated Marketing Communications and minored in Psychology. He has many years of experience in the family entertainment industry. In addition, Ben has utilized his years of experience within that industry to build a vast array of partnerships within the local business community. Lastly, through his years as a store manager, Ben has a prov