What ZABS Place does

ZABS Place is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, that operates a thrift boutique retail store as both a revenue-generating operation and a real-world vocational training environment for young adults with disabilities, reframed in the organization's mission as "special talents." The organization's core programs — the Sam Ebersman Job Training Program and the ZABSpreneur Incubator — prepare participants for skills-based careers in retail, food service, and adjacent sectors, with a documented employer pipeline that has placed graduates at Lowe's, Harris Teeter, Marshall's, Burlington Coat Factory, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Good Cup Coffee, Bitty & Beau's Coffee, Great Harvest Bread Co., and others.

The business model combines thrift boutique retail sales (clothing, housewares, furniture, books, games), monetary donations from individuals and community supporters, donated goods ("stuff"), and volunteer labor. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; items are sold at typical thrift store price points. The distribution footprint is a single physical storefront at 100 N. Trade Street, Matthews, NC, with a secondary address at 119 E. John Street. In April 2026, ZABS Place merged with Cakeable Charlotte under an "Endorsed Brand" model, adding a café training site in Uptown Charlotte under a unified executive team led by Executive Director Bentzion Groner. Cakeable's prior Executive Director, Ken Norton, transitioned to the merged organization's Board of Directors.

The unified organization operates without any disclosed AI/ML technology, public API, or proprietary software platform, and reports no funding rounds or parent-company ownership. It holds 501(c)(3) status (Tax ID 86-2748481), the Candid Platinum Seal 2026 for nonprofit transparency, and prior recognition including the 2023 Health Equity Innovation Challenge win (Flywheel Foundation), SEED20, UpStart accelerator participation, and Jewish Federation of Charlotte partnership.

Name

ZABS Place

Legal name

ZABS Place

Website

https://zabsplace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZABS Place is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2014 that operates a thrift boutique and vocational training programs in Matthews, NC, preparing young adults with disabilities for careers in retail and hospitality via an employer-partner pipeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Matthews

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Thrift Boutique Retail Sales: ZABS Place operates a thrift boutique selling donated clothing, housewares, furniture, books, and games to generate revenue while funding job training programs for young adults with special talents.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations of funds and 'stuff' (clothing, housewares, furniture) from the community. Donations support the training programs and participants.
3. Volunteer Support: Community members volunteer their time and expertise to support the young adults in training programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

ZABS Place operates a non-profit thrift boutique in Matthews, NC that sells donated clothing, housewares, furniture, books, and games, and serves as a hands-on training environment for young adults with special talents. The organization also runs vocational training programs (Sam Ebersman Job Training Program and ZABSpreneur Incubator) and, through its 2026 merger with Cakeable Charlotte, added a cafe-based hospitality training environment in Uptown Charlotte. Revenue from retail sales, donations of goods and funds, and community support sustain the training mission.

Product overview

ZABS Place is a single-brand nonprofit organization operating a thrift boutique retail environment and job training programs for young adults with special talents. Following its merger with Cakeable Charlotte, the unified organization operates two distinct training programs: the ZABS Place Thrift Boutique (retail/hospitality training in Matthews) and Cakeable Cafe (food service/hospitality training in Uptown Charlotte). The ZABSpreneur Incubator and Sam Ebersman Job Training Program provide vocational preparation and job placement support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cakeable: Cafe and hospitality training program for young adults with disabilities, operating in Uptown Charlotte
• ZABSpreneurs
• Sam Ebersman Job Training Program

Products and services

• ZABS Place Thrift Boutique A thrift boutique retail store at 100 North Trade Street in Downtown Matthews, NC that sells donated clothing, housewares, furniture, books, and games to the general public. It also serves as the primary hands-on training environment for young adults with special talents participating in ZABS Place's job training programs.
• Sam Ebersman Job Training Program
• ZABSpreneur Incubator An incubator program that supports young adults with special talents in developing professional skills, building work readiness, and transitioning to rewarding careers.
• Cakeable Cafe A cafe in Uptown Charlotte that provides hospitality and food service job training for young adults with special talents. Following the 2026 merger with ZABS Place, it operates as part of the unified non-profit organization alongside the ZABS Place Thrift Boutique.

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cakeable CharlottecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZABS Place and Cakeable Charlotte officially merged in 2026 as one unified organization. Cakeable provides hospitality training while ZABS Place provides retail training, creating a comprehensive 'One Training Team, Two Programs' model. The merger creates a more sustainable organization with shared resources and a wider network of impact.
• Lowe'scoreOthersMajor employer partner that has hired ZABS Place graduates, providing employment opportunities in retail/home improvement sector.
• Harris TeetercoreOthersGrocery retailer employer partner that has hired ZABS Place graduates for employment.
• NASCAR Hall of FameminorOthersEmployer partner that has hired ZABS Place graduates.
• Marshall'sminorOthersRetail employer partner that has hired ZABS Place graduates.
• Burlington Coat FactoryminorOthersRetail employer partner that has hired ZABS Place graduates.
• Friendship CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization providing complementary programming for young adults with special needs in the Charlotte area.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bitty & Beau's Coffee: A coffee shop chain that primarily employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Already a ZABS employer partner and represents a parallel operating model: a retail/cafe business that exists primarily as a vehicle for inclusive employment.
• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit that creates employment opportunities and integrated workplaces for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, directly comparable to ZABS Place's job placement mission.
• Goodwill Industries International: The largest nonprofit thrift retailer and workforce development operator in the U.S. Goodwill runs thrift stores that fund job training programs, including for people with disabilities, making it the most structurally analogous organization to ZABS Place.
• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): Nonprofit that manufactures products and provides services while employing people who are blind or have significant disabilities. Operates a similar training-plus-employment model for a specific disability community.
• Friendship Circle: A sister organization explicitly affiliated with ZABS Place, providing complementary programming for young adults with special needs in the Charlotte area. Most direct programmatic peer at the local level.
• The Salvation Army: Operates thrift stores whose proceeds fund adult rehabilitation, workforce training, and social programs. Comparable to ZABS Place as a faith-affiliated nonprofit combining second-hand retail with adult vocational rehabilitation.
• Melwood: Nonprofit that provides job training, employment, and vocational services primarily for people with disabilities. Closely aligned with ZABS Place's mission of transitioning young adults with disabilities into meaningful careers.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit delivering disability services including employment training, vocational rehabilitation, and community-based programs. Shares ZABS Place's focus on workforce outcomes for people with disabilities.
• SourceAmerica: Nonprofit leader in creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities through AbilityOne and other federal contracting programs. Comparable training-and-placement model targeting the same beneficiary population.
• The Arc: National nonprofit advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including employment support and transition-to-work programs. Operates a similar mission to ZABS Place.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/zabsplace
• Facebookfacebook.com/zabsplace
• Instagraminstagram.com/zabsplace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zabsplace

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZABS Place