Jamie McCormick cares about coffee. Not in the “let’s take this super seriously” way, though the man definitely knows his stuff. No, he cares because the drink — simple and well-crafted — connects people. It brings them together. It makes them happy.
I never moved my shit, I never moved nothing,” McCormick says in the premiere of Uproxx’s newest original series, Freethinkers. “I never got my guitars, I never got my books, I never got my clothes, In never got my dog, I never got my girlfriend, I never got my house… I just abandoned it all for this.”
So began Abraço, a coffee shop named for a song by the Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil, and a place where the embrace Gil sang about is felt on the daily — in the warmth of a perfect espresso, the jovial kindness that McCormick exudes, or the satisfying flavors of the olive oil cakes made by his partner (in business and life), Liz Quijada.
In a city filled with chain cafes, hipster one-offs, and 360 Starbucks locations, Arabço stands out. It’s beloved by locals and people who care deeply about coffee. The shop roasts their own beans, brews coffee in single batches, and — above all — exudes a deep concern with building community.
In this first episode of Free Thinkers, we’re taken behind the scenes at Abraço. It’s an intimate portrait of a family living their best life, unfettered by fear. This is the Free Thinkers mentality — which McCormick embodies perfectly — to chase your wildest dreams without worrying about the consequences.
