Shepherd Hotels, a hospitality group aimed at increasing the employment futures of individuals with intellectual disabilities, is collaborating with Avocet Hospitality of Charleston, S.C. to open the first Shepherd Hotel in downtown Clemson, S.C.
Public spaces will include the Delish Sisters restaurant, the indoor/outdoor Thomas Bar and the hotel’s rooftop event space.
The Shepherd Hotel, Downtown Clemson is expected to employ over 40 individuals with intellectual disabilities between the hotel and restaurant operations constituting about 40 percent of the total hospitality team. Students and alumni of ClemsonLIFE, a program at Clemson University that prepares young men and women with intellectual disabilities for competitive employment and independent living, will use the hotel as both a training site and a long-term employment opportunity.
The hotel is slated to open in spring 2022.