13 hours Ago By Jen Samuel
WEST NORRITON — One family’s love forged a new beginning nearly five years ago to open a business for their autistic son, Jacob “Jake” McFarland, who is now 24.Coffee Closet with Barista Jake is open 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.
m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday.Serving the Norristown region, the business is at 2117 West Main St. in West Norriton, and is located inside Vinyl Closet Records.
“Jake lives with autism, severe ADHD and anxiety. Many would consider him high functioning because he is verbal but Jake will never live independently, drive a car or travel alone,” said his mom, Angela McFarland.She is the founder of the charity Jake’s Baristas.
She co-owns Coffee Closet with Barista Jake with her son, and is also a co-owner of Vinyl Closet Records, alongside her husband, Jason McFarland.“We opened in 2020 mid pandemic as a way to remind our record store customers that we were still here during the shutdown. And, to help Jake regain some of his social skills that he was losing as a result of the lockdown,” McFarland said.
Jake’s Baristas, a nonprofit dedicated to coffee, community and compassion was established in 2000. In this photo is Jake McFarland, the 24-year-old operator of Coffee Closet. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)“It has been a whirlwind of every emotion you can imagine,” she reflected.
McFarland left a 30-year career in human resources and recruitment to create a business model for Jake while concurrently establishing the nonprofit.“For Jake, he is a totally different man than he was,” his mom said. “He is outgoing, social, engaging, funny and compassionate.
He lives a life of service.”Jake has two older siblings, Teressa, 32, and Chris, 28.“Watching Jake grow and evolve into the person he has become warms my heart in a way that nothing else has,” said his sister, Teressa Hammond, a teacher in Nazareth.
“I cannot wait to see what he does next.”McFarland concurred.“Jacob ‘Barista Jake’ is my inspiration for everything I do regarding the special needs population,” McFarland stated.
“We want him to have a purpose and a place in this world — and be a contributing member of society. He never showed any interest in anything that we could translate into a career until coffee so here we are.”Upcoming events at Coffee Closet with Barista Jake include a vendor resource fair on April 29 and a festival on May 4.
(Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)“It’s been inspiring to witness Jake’s growth over the last few years,” said Chris McFarland. “I’m ecstatic to know that his evolution will continue because of not only his hard work, but also the amazing support system he has around him. I couldn’t be more proud to call him my brother.
”The family held a five-year anniversary celebration on April 13; the business will officially turn five in May. There’s even a branded truck for off-site events.“It’s been a journey,” McFarland said.
Back in 2000, when Jake was six weeks old, McFarland said she knew something atypical was going on.“I began advocating for him right away but was dismissed by doctors until he was 17 months and he had missed so many of his developmental milestones,” she recalled.“Finally, he was diagnosed with a Global Developmental Delay with the etology unknown,” McFarland said.
“He began physical, occupational and speech therapies through the Arc Alliance and the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.”Then, “at just shy of three years he received his official autism diagnosis by DuPont Hospital. The minimal number of resources that were available in the early 2000s made researching things on my own a challenge.
However, we always made learning about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) our priority,” she said.“We’ve always approached this without us having a victim mentality,” McFarland said. “Our goal as parents was to just give him every opportunity, you know — to thrive — that we possibly could.
”Coffee Closet with Barista Jake has a mobile component with a branded truck the McFarland family drives to events, serving an array of gourmet coffee. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)And by creating a business for their son to co-own and operate, that mission has become a reality.“Having families come to us with the desire of having their loved one be a part of our ‘Barista Jake’ team is such a thrill,” McFarland said.
She lauded the support of her mother, Barbara Ann Bucci, in helping to raise her son while she worked as he was growing up. Her father, Ralph Bucci who passed away in 2011, was also there to help.“If he was here, he would be Jacob’s biggest customer and biggest supporter.
There’s no doubt in my mind,” she said.Jake McFarland and his grandmother, Barbara Ann Bucci, take a moment to celebrate a good day together during a mobile event in 2022. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)McFarland said friends have been instrumental in Jake’s development and many of his former teachers remain present in his life.
He graduated from Norristown High School in 2019.“He’s incredibly empathetic and compassionate,” McFarland said of her son. “He loves to be of service to people, and you know, he would tell you himself that he really is living.
”Today, the McFarland family’s nonprofit has 12 associates in its internship program. During the past five years, Jake’s Baristas has worked with more than 35 young adults.“Meet your child where they are, not where you expected them to be at this point in their lives and grow together,” McFarland said.
“Find what they are passionate about and try and carve out a path.”While working at the Coffee Closet, Jake serves patrons hot and iced coffee, iced tea, flavored lemonade, flavored seltzers, and the spectrum soda, which is a handcrafted Italian cream soda.“Jake is one of the funniest people,” his mom said.
“He has no filter, wears his heart on his sleeve and makes a mean cup of coffee.”“Autism is like a storm in human form. There are days where it pours and thunders and lightning strikes and there are days where it sprinkles but then clears up and you see a rainbow,” McFarland said.
“With love and support anything can be accomplished,” she said.Serving the greater Norristown region, the Coffee Closet is located at 2117 E. Main St.
in West Norriton inside Vinyl Closet Records, which is also owned by the McFarland family. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)Known as ‘Barista Jake’ in the community, Jacob McFarland has been serving coffee professionally since 2020. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)Show Caption1 of 2Serving the greater Norristown region, the Coffee Closet is located at 2117 E.
Main St. in West Norriton inside Vinyl Closet Records, which is also owned by the McFarland family. (Courtesy Jake’s Baristas)Expand.
