3 Balloons, a nonprofit retail outlet that provides jobs to adults with intellectual disabilities in Roanoke, held its grand opening Nov. 1.

3 Balloons operates as both a workshop and a children’s bookstore. Its shelves are stocked with items such as home decor and jewelry created by employees, along with new and used children’s books. Many decor items are stenciled because the technique is easy for staff members to learn, though the store also features a variety of other creations based on employees’ individual skills and talents. Crafting in the workshop is only one of several jobs offered at 3 Balloons. Other positions include working in the shop, organizing donated items and performing maintenance.

Founder Steve Stinson said he was motivated to create 3 Balloons because of the lack of employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities in the Roanoke Valley. As the director of a workplace skills training program, Stinson said he saw firsthand the need for job options beyond menial labor. He said the store’s workshop-retail model was inspired by his niece, who has Down syndrome and has worked at a similar shop in Missouri for nine years.

3 Balloons opened with 18 employees, surpassing its original goal of reaching that number within three years. The nonprofit provides adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to earn an income while learning job skills, while also fostering a community centered on creativity and inclusion.