Billionaire LeBron James is changing lives by just opening a Starbucks in Akron

LeBron James has a net worth of $1 billion, and one of his recent investments was opening a Starbucks in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. However, it has a unique business model that aims to help young people in the community.

According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, employees of the Starbucks in Akron not only earn an hourly salary but also job training certificates that could help them in the future. It's part of James' dream and plan to break the cyclical poverty in his hometown.

"The world's always going to have issues to deal with," LeBron James Family Foundation executive director Michele Campbell said. "We're just a microcosm of that here in Akron. But I feel like what we're building, and it'll continue, long past my lifetime, is how to operate a community differently and how to think differently and how to be thoughtful and strategic and meet people where they are."

LeBron James' one-of-a-kind Starbucks is at House Three Thirty in Akron. The location and building was a former nightclub that the LA Lakers superstar purchased through his charity in 2020. He refurbished it and renamed it House Three Thrity, which is the area code for Akron phone numbers.

Apart from the Starbucks, James' House Three Thirty has a Chase Bank open inside the facility. The current plan is to have more stores like a taco shop, an ice cream parlor and a clothing store by the end of 2024. There are also plans to make a part of the building a venue for events like weddings and concerts.

Most importantly, though, employees of Starbucks and all future stores inside House Three Thirty will be trained about business. It involves programmes like event planning, food service and janitorial work. They're all paid and will earn training credits and certificates to use in the future.

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LeBron James opened I Promise School in 2018

I Promise School Grand Opening Celebration with LeBron James

LeBron James started his own foundation early in his career to help kids in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, in many ways. He partnered with Akron Public Schools in 2018 to open the I Promise School.

In 2018, the LeBron James Family Foundation formed a partnership with Akron Public Schools to open the I Promise School. More than 1,400 students have received support from the foundation by way of programmes, teachers and activities.

One of James' missions about starting the I Promise school is to help kids who fall behind in their education due to unforeseen circumstances. "The King" knows the struggles of families growing up in poverty, being raised by a single mother with no stable job.