A Coffee Shop For Gun Enthusiasts Will Open In The Woodlands

If the vibe at Starbucks is a little too left-wing, a new gun-friendly coffee shop is set to offer a decidedly more conservative alternative in The Woodlands.

A website for Operator Coffee Co. announces that the veteran-owned coffee shop, which will offer a haven for Second Amendment enthusiasts, will open sometime next year in The Woodlands. Here, the customers won’t be the only ones packing heat — at present, the plan is to hire baristas that are licensed to carry a firearm while they’re serving “veteran-roasted freedom,” which presumably means coffee.

While other restaurants tend to shy away from talking politics, this shop describes itself as committed to “traditional conservative values,” or an alternative to “liberal coffee corporations.” In addition to the typical lattes and coffee drinks, Operator will serve milkshakes, locally-sourced pastries and lunch items, along with a never-ending coffee club for regulars. The shop will also host The Operators Club, which will function as a sort of social club for veterans, law enforcement and the “pro 2A community” to gather for trips to the shooting range.

A post to Operator Coffee’s Instagram account sums up its philosophy thusly:

The minds behind Operator Coffee Co. clearly expect the politically-charged coffee concept to be a success in a red state like Texas. Without opening a single outpost, Operator’s website indicates that it already has plans to expand to Dallas and San Antonio in the next two years.

At present, Operator Coffee Co. is expected to make its debut in The Woodlands in Spring 2018. Eater has reached out for more details, and will update this post as they become available.

UPDATE: 7/3, 12:22 p.m.: Operator Coffee owner Zack Weisenburger tells Eater that the shop is currently searching for locations along FM 1488 in The Woodlands. The shop will also serve as a place for combat veterans to mingle and “reestablish bonds.” “I personally have had some friends commit suicide over the last few years because they were dealing with PTSD and felt alone and disconnected after leaving the military,” says Weisenberger. “We want to give these men and women a place to go.” The first location is expected to open in The Woodlands by summer 2018.