NOTE: This story is a part of Spectrum News’ s series “Decision 2020: I4 Tour”, where we are exploring the vast communities across the I-4 Corridor to provide a snapshot of hyper-local viewpoints on the race for the White House. 

LARGO, Fla. — The politically conservative-themed Conservative Grounds coffee shop in Largo gathered national attention when it opened last month.

The establishment was created as an oasis for supporters of President Donald Trump to congregate and socialize while getting their cup of Joe (though like every other indoor gathering space in America, attendance may be drastically reduced soon due to social distancing taking place).

There’s a replica of the Oval Office with life-size standees of Trump and the First Lady in the back corner of Conservative Grounds, while Fox News, the Fox Business Channel and Newsmax TV run continuously on another wall.

And while the vibe is very pro-Trump, we also encountered some surprising criticism for the president when it comes to assigning blame for the partisan divide in the country.

“I am a Republican, and I will more than likely vote for Donald Trump because I agree with his policies,” said Clearwater resident Audrey Whitman. “However, I don’t think he’s been a good leader in trying to bring people together in that his language has… caused more division than uniting people.”

Others shared similar sentiments, while adding that it wouldn’t affect their support for him in November.

“An awful lot of us don’t think Trump says the right things at the right time,” said Seminole resident Bob Cadzow. “But when you look at the results, I don’t know how you can vote any other way.”

“He’s crude and sometimes I wish he’d keep his trap shut, but, overall, he hits the nail on the head,” said John Currence, a Centerville, Maryland resident who spends his winters in Pinellas County.

Currence, 72, loves the president, and says he’s kept more campaign promises than any other president he can recall. “As far as I’m concerned, Trump can run for 15 years, and I’ll keep voting for him because we gotta get away from this stupidity that is dividing us,” he said.

Currence’s partner, Ruth Colonel, agreed that it’s Democrats who are responsible for the division in the country.

 “I have family members who are very liberal and you can’t discuss anything without it turning into a main brawl and battle,” she said.

Clearwater winter resident Donna Miller likes the fact that Trump “isn’t in our pocket constantly like a lot of politicians.”

Speaking to Bay News 9 before the coronavirus pandemic led the president to declare a national emergency, Miller said that the GOP has to come up with a viable health care plan to offer voters in November.

“Republicans have to do that,” she said. “It has to happen. They have to do it. They have to come up with something.”

About 400 people visit the shop daily, says co-owner Cliff Gephart.  He says he was always confident that the the concept would be popular but is still flabbergasted by its success.

“It tells me that we often hear that there’s a silent majority out there, and when they come in here, they’re not silent. And I think you’ll see that this will pick up,” he said. “Because there are people who are craving a place where they can share their political ideas, share their political opinions, without any fear of retribution or anything like that.”

Gephart says liberals are welcome as well.

“We’ve had several come in here. We’re open to political debates and political ideas. We’re open to that all day, every day.”

There could be more Conservative Grounds coffee shops dotting the landscape.

Gephart says he’s had nearly more than a dozen requests for franchises around the country. He says he and co-owner John Tatum will soon begin to vet those proposals.