I don’t know where I heard about PublicSquare, and I’m not sure why people in my sphere (including me) are just now learning about this four-year-old, not-new company. Probably because it’s stupid and who cares? But for whatever reason, all of my algorithms in the last few weeks have been bomb arding me with posts about this nationwide “anti-woke online marketplace,” wherein businesses can sign themselves up to be collated into a big Trumpy database. Then, using the site’s map feature, shoppers who don’t want to give money to wokes can search-near-me to find MAGA-aligned nail salons, and coffee shops, and certified public accountants. No more woke fingernails. These folks have had enough. by Meg van Huygen I don’t know where I heard about PublicSquare, and I’m not sure why people in my sphere (including me) are just now learning about this four-year-old, not-new company. Probably because it’s stupid and who cares? But for whatever reason, all of my algorithms in the last few weeks have been bombarding me with posts about this nationwide “anti-woke online marketplace,” wherein businesses can sign themselves up to be collated into a big Trumpy database. Then, using the site’s map feature, shoppers who don’t want to give money to wokes can search-near-me to find MAGA-aligned nail salons, and coffee shops, and certified public accountants. No more woke fingernails. These folks have had enough. Scratching the surface a little: PublicSquare was started up in San Diego in 2021 by Michael Seifert, hardcore Christian fundie and alum of the sometimes-accredited Liberty University—that’s the one founded by Jerry Falwell—as a right-wing “values-driven alternative” to Amazon. (Who… does this guy think profits from Amazon? Not conservatives? Because.) The company supports the pro-life movement, the Trump administration, and “traditional American values.” It also owns EveryLife, “the nation’s first pro-life diaper site,”and Credova, a buy-now-pay-later online gun retailer. Donald Trump, Jr., and Republican former US senator Kelly Loeffler are on PublicSquare’s board of directors. “Baby bonuses” are awarded to PublicSquare employees who birth or adopt children. You know. Shit like that.  In July 2023, following a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) merger with Colombier Acquisition Corporation, PublicSquare went public on the New York Stock Exchange. So apparently, conservatives are eating this up with a big wooden tradwife spoon.  That’s all really cute, but here’s the thing. This MAGA chud who set out to compile a database of right-wing businesses has unwittingly done us a great service. Now we know how to avoid giving our money to MAGA chuds, if indeed we are inclined. Man, these guys can’t do anything right. Doodling around the PublicSquare map is illuminating. I didn’t want the site to know my location, so I entered my ZIP code manually, clicked “Near me” at the top right, and then clicked “Search this area” at the top left. (For the love of dogs, do not accept this website’s cookies.) As one would expect, Seattle is more sparsely populated with PublicSquare, uh, members compared to the rest of the nation, but there are still a good 60+ local businesses on there. Martial arts studios, auto repair shops, law firms, all sorts of things. Naturally, there’s a higher incidence in the Eastside, Tacoma, Everett, and the suburbs in between. They live among us. I’m usually a food writer, so I immediately searched for local restaurants upon discovering PublicSquare, and lo, I found a few. Business-upscale pastaria Barolo Ristorante in downtown Seattle and extremely middlin’ bakery Belle Epicurean by the Arboretum are both repping. I see Grazie in Southcenter, which I went to on a bad date about 20 years ago. There’s something on there called Pilgrim Coffeehouse in North Seattle that I’ve never heard of in my life but it sounds real Mars Hill-y. Burbs Burgers too, quelle surprise, although it’s the now-defunct location in Montlake, so it’s seemingly been on there for a minute.  (Some lore: Although Burbs Burgers 1.0 was originally owned by area antivaxxer, wage thief, and RFK Jr. superfan Josh Henderson, who also started Skillet back in the day, he filed for bankruptcy in late 2023 and the business was subsequently sold in May 2024 to former Burbs employee Bersain Gutierrez, whose politics are not known to me. Gutierrez now runs the food hole at Last Call Bar in Frelard, legally as “B’s Burgers,” although the menus say Burbs and he claims to use the same recipes. If he’s not MAGA-aligned, he may wanna do something about this listing.)  When map-scouting around outside of Seattle, I didn’t expect to see Seattle Restaurant Supply in Shoreline, on 149th and Aurora, and am very glad to have spotted it. By clicking around randomly in Tacoma, I found an event venue called The Realm whose owner is stoked to have attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration in person, as well as all locations of Anthem Coffee, which I go to sometimes. Not no more.  Anyway, here are all the businesses that I found listed on PublicSquare within the greater Seattle metropolitan area:  Abby London Music, Adeptec, Aldaris CPA Group, Barolo Ristorante, Beach Revolution, Belle Epicurean, Beyond Clothing, Blaise Creative, Blossoming Newborn Care, Brett Menear at Comparion Insurance Agency, Burbs Burgers, Corry’s Fine Dry Cleaning. CrossFit Deliverance, Cue CrossFit, Curtis Rowe—Financial Consultant, Ehm Architecture, Emerald City Window Tinting, Flamespray Northwest, Focus Core, Gian DeCaro Sartoria Tailors & Shirtmakers, Glass Masters Window Cleaning, Gods Dogs, Hagen’s Car Care, Hallmark Management Group LLC, Heft Moving, Helisports LLC, House to Home Interiors, iLocal Inc, Illuminata Art Glass Design, J and S Design Company, J&M Carpet Renewal, Lockerby Law PLLC, mapunlimited, Mely Luciano at Comparion Insurance Agency, MK Metal Fab Inc., Northwest K9 Bed Bug Detectives, NW Homeworks, One Accord Karate, Pics By Pix Photography, Pilgrim Coffee House (and Pilgrim Coffee Truck), Plan-It Vision, posterGIANT, Protect My Life with Logan, Rebekah Truman at Seattle Style Salon, Reflective Auto Detailing, r.evolution psychotherapy, Seattle Auto Glass Shop, Seattle Dog Walker, Seattle Estates, Seattle Integrated Martial Arts, Seattle Mortgage Professor, Seattle Restaurant Store, Sharper Tools LLC, Steve Parco at Premier Mortgage Resources, Sugar Stop, Surgent Inc, TJ Hoisington, Tv Tech, TommyTQL LLC, Tukwila Family Chiropractic, and unlo motor club.  Again, there are lots more business listings in the suburbs and the rurals, and it’s a good reminder that we don’t always spend our money exclusively in the city. I’m taking a road trip to Eastern Washington soon, and you’re damn right I’m gonna consult this map before I go. And yeah, I realize this is not a comprehensive roster of every Republican business owner in the country. But it doesn’t hurt to check either. Am I telling you to boycott these businesses? Or even not to patronize them? Nope. You sure can do that, though, if you want. I’m just telling you the names of some local businesses whose owners are lined up to kiss the ring—and consciously sock their customers’ money behind things like denying American women access to abortion, stripping LGBTQ+ people and non-white people, and women of their civil rights, imprisoning and deporting immigrants of any legal status, and murdering everyone in Palestine. And/or they vote for those things to continue. Doowutchyalike, but I personally like to know if someone’s an abject fucking villain before I give them money.  I also encourage y’all to research any of these businesses that you’re concerned about and to ask questions about this subject in general. Up here in the corner, it can be easy to forget that we have plenty of Trumpers in our community, and I think it’s prudent—and ethically important—to take the time, whenever possible, to find out who your money’s going to. The MAGA chuds are doing the same.  ...read more read less