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Denver, CO (KCNC) — Business is booming at Pizzability after the community learned of hurtful behavior toward its employees with special needs. Hundreds flooded the restaurant after seeing a social media post.
After speaking with Pizzability owner Tiffany Fixter on Wednesday, CBS4’s Tori Mason posted the message on social media which has been shared thousands of times.
“People have said some really derogatory things. ‘Put the people with disabilities in the back. Put their wheelchairs outside’ Even the ‘r-word.’ I guess some people are scared of what they don’t understand,” said Fixter. The former special needs teacher employs people with a variety of special needs.
CBS4 first shared the story about Pizzability in January.
The restaurant welcomed customers from other states Friday who saw the post.
“It’s one thing to like and share it. It’s another thing for the entire community to actually come out and get in their cars and come here and eat,” said Fixter.
Fixter says Pizzability had never seen so many customers. While the floods of customers can be overwhelming at times, she says her staff is grateful for the support.
“There’s days where we sell two slices of pizza,” said Fixter. “We’ve never been so busy. I’m exhausted, but it’s great.”
She’s hoping to find additional help as the customers continue to flow in.
Many of the customers who visited Friday are parents of children of special needs. They say the stares and hurtful comments overheard by employees are felt far beyond their kitchen.
“It made me sick to my stomach because that stuff does exist. We face that kind of discrimination a lot. People whisper and people talk, and it’s mainly adults!” said Mandy Gordy, she brought her two sons with special needs to Pizzability and plans to come back often.
Fixter says she still welcomes those hateful hearts to Pizzability, so they can show them what they’ve been missing.
“I hope they come in and give us a shot. I mean, we sell beer and pizza!”
You can find Pizzability at 250 Steele St #108 in Denver.
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