Corgi’s audacious bid to operate 100 round-the-clock coffee shops across San Francisco has stalled, with layoffs hitting the expansion team just weeks after the AI insurance startup signed several new leases.
The retreat follows an $11 million acquisition of a Dogpatch property from Warriors star Steph Curry, a deal that signaled Corgi’s ambition to become a citywide brand. Meanwhile, one of its two existing cafés, located at 2146 Third St., temporarily closed last week after inspectors found it operating without a valid permit.
At least two employees lost their jobs, according to an internal email reviewed by the Chronicle. Trevor Owens, who led Corgi’s expansion efforts, declined to comment. Sources indicated additional staff members faced cuts, though most had no connection to the shuttered Dogpatch café.
The company had launched an aggressive summer push to open 100 locations within six months. Employees described a goal of surpassing Starbucks’ footprint in San Francisco. That effort ground to a halt last month, leaving landlords and brokerage Newmark uncertain about signed leases at 260 Church St., 968 Columbus Ave., and 680 Illinois St. None have opened.
Real estate insiders described a chaotic process, with Corgi pursuing multiple properties simultaneously while plans shifted. “They were pretty much talking to everybody in the market at the same time,” one source said.
Newmark reportedly ended its engagement with Corgi after being blindsided by the Curry building purchase. The brokerage declined to comment.
Founded in 2024 by Nico Laqua and Emily Yuan, Corgi has raised at least $378 million and reached a $4 billion valuation. The company recently announced expansion into real estate insurance and reinsurance.
For now, the future of Corgi’s café ambitions remains unclear.
