The coffee brewed in Livano communities is grounded in a legacy of connection and community. It started with a curious orthodontist, traveled through global farms, roasted with love in Birmingham, Alabama…and ended up in your cup.
From Orthodontist to Road Master
O.Henry’s Coffee, the roaster behind every Trapeze Coffee cup, began in a most unexpected place: the dental office. Founded in 1993 by Dr. Henry Bright, a Homewood orthodontist with a love for great coffee, O.Henry’s grew from a passion project to a full-blown coffee institution. “Bright’s passion for great coffee led him to learn the craft of coffee roasting and open the original O.Henry’s location in downtown Homewood,” says Blake Stevens, Owner of O.Henry’s Coffee.
That first location quickly became a neighborhood staple. With Bright roasting beans right in the front window, the shop became known for its rich aromas and strong sense of place. As the buzz around his beans grew, Bright opened a dedicated roasting facility that now serves six O.Henry’s locations as well as private label coffees like Trapeze.
A Taste of the World in Your Cup
At Trapeze, every coffee drinker, from the flavored latte lover to the double-shot purist, can find a blend to call their own. And that’s no accident. “Our flavored coffee is known as Vicaro’s Blend,” Stevens says. “It’s made using medium-roast Brazil Cerrado coffee, flavored with Swiss chocolate and caramel. It has a smooth, creamy body and sweet aroma.”
For those who prefer the bold balance of espresso, “our espresso is a signature blend of Brazilian, Costa Rican, and Sumatran coffees, roasted slowly to a medium-dark profile. It is smooth, stout, and round, with notes of dark chocolate, candied citrus, and earthy spice.”
O.Henry’s sources their beans from a trusted specialty coffee importer, ensuring each batch is top quality and ethically produced. Each roast is carefully dialed in to highlight the unique flavors of the coffee’s origin — whether that’s a bright Costa Rican farm or a rich, earthy Sumatran plantation.
“Each coffee’s roast profile is tailored to its unique origin flavors, growing conditions, and processing methods,” explains Stevens. “And our blends are carefully balanced to create dynamic, approachable cups.”
More Than a Coffee Shop
Coffee is great, but the magic of Trapeze goes beyond what’s in your cup. It’s about what happens around it. “People have always enjoyed gathering around something delicious and enjoying each other’s company,” Stevens says. “Coffee shops are common locales for first dates, reconnecting with old friends, club meet-ups, or business discussions.”
There’s something about a coffee shop that invites people to stay awhile. To talk. To read. To relax. Over time, it becomes more than a hangout spot, it becomes a vital thread in the social fabric of the neighborhood.
“Regulars keep returning, the baristas know their orders, maybe they host live music from time to time,” Stevens says. “It becomes part of the social fabric of a community… where strangers become neighbors.”
And that’s exactly what Trapeze Coffee aims to be inside every Livano community — a daily ritual, a gathering place, a little slice of comfort.
