‘Freedom’ coffee shop planned for the middle of San Francisco

An unapologetically pro-America “freedom”-branded coffee shop may be opening up in the middle of San Francisco, often criticized as a symbol of lefty excess.

Freedom Coffee may soon be opening up on Polk Street, according to building permits obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle.

The website for Freedom Coffee does not list any information besides its bold, white, all-caps logo. A description describes the site as “bold, unapologetic, American. Brewed in the USA.”

The permits list an address that used to be a Pilates gym. Business records list Katie Tolstedt as the CEO, chief financial officer plus secretary of Freedom Coffee.

Her LinkedIn states she is the chief of staff for Eoghan McCabe, the Irish-born CEO of Fin, a company that offers AI customer service tools for businesses. Salesforce is reportedly in plans to acquire it for $3.6 billion.

Both McCabe and Tolstedt are involved with the San Francisco Freedom Club, a social club with the same freedom-focused theme. McCabe said in 2024 that the club’s mission was to “celebrate the values that made the US so great” but that it “was not explicitly partisan.”

There’s no connection between the club and coffee shop, McCabe insisted to the Chronicle.

“The Freedom Club has no plans to ever open any kind of physical location,” he said.

Tolstedt, who could not be reached for comment, was also a corporate officer for Cool Tech News, which McCabe invested $2 million in. Listings show the coffee shop and media company sharing the same address, the Chronicle reported.

Automated technology may play some role in the café, and there could be plans for multiple locations and national expansion, according to a now-removed job listing. A patent filing suggests branding to be used on hats, drinkware, coffee beverages and other merchandise.

Though there’s no signs of an explicit political leaning for the shop, McCabe has conducted political activity benefiting Republicans.

He donated around $200,000 to the Republican National Committee, pro-Donald Trump PACs and the campaigns of Republican politicians.

McCabe has also expressed support for Restore Britain, a right-wing political party endorsed by Elon Musk.

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