CINCINNATI — It is just a few days from the AFC Championship where the Bengals will take on the Chiefs in Kansas City, and small businesses, like Just Brew Coffee House, are taking advantage of the city pride.


What You Need To Know

  • Just Brew Coffee House is serving a special Who Dey latte in support of the Bengals

  • The coffee shop is operated by the Ken Anderson Alliance which serves more than 300 adults with disabilities in the Cincinnati area

  • The includes at Just Brew, where 11 adults with disabilities are employed

  • Employees said they enjoy learning new things and interacting with customers

Walking into Just Brew Coffee House, customers will instantly see a Bengals connection, most notably, because it’s run by the Ken Anderson Alliance. Anderson is a former and well-known quarterback for the Bengals.

“We have Ken’s name on the building and so it brings that instant Bengal recognition," said Jennifer Tilford, retail programming director with the Ken Anderson Alliance. "But people are coming in just to check us out, see what we have and get to meet the staff when they come in.”

The Ken Anderson Alliance serves more than 300 adults with disabilities, including at Just Brew Coffee House.

“I do the cashier," said Rachel Travis, a supervisor at Just Brew Coffee House. "I also make the drinks. I also sometimes do food prep.”

Travis is one of the 11 adults with disabilities employed at the coffee house and has worked her way up to be a supervisor

“It’s really fun," she said. "Be we have to tell the other coworkers to do their jobs.”

Travis helps her coworkers learn on the job and interacts with customers.

This week she's serving up an extra-special Who Dey latte, made with orange and mocha.

Travis said she loves spreading the Bengals love

“I’m watching the Bengals game against Kansas City," she said. "Go Who Dey!”

While that may be the reason many customers come in the door, it means a lot to Travis and her supervisors to have the community’s support.

“Just to see them be able to interact with customers and learn, we have a very complicated POS system for them with all the questions they have to ask for each drink and just helping the customer," Tilford said.

“It means a lot to us," Travis said. "We really like them.”