If you walk into O Coffee in Glendale, California, you might hear the soft strumming of a jazz guitar or see a local photographer hanging prints on the wall. There might be a book club in the corner or a group gathered around the roaster, asking questions. What started as a small-batch roasting dream has evolved into a thriving community hub—and at the center of it all is Henrikh Abajyan, a man who never really planned to open a coffee business at all.
He just wanted a 1-kilo roaster in his garage.
“I wasn’t thinking about a shop or a roastery,” Henrikh says. “I just wanted a way to unwind, to zoom out from life. Something hands-on, something meaningful.”
But a pivotal phone call with the team at San Franciscan Roaster Co. planted a seed that would grow far beyond his original vision. Encouraged to pursue his curiosity, Henrikh purchased a San Franciscan SF6. That’s when things changed. And like so many memorable stories in coffee, everything started with a roast.
Learning by Fire
In the early days, Henrikh leaned heavily into experimentation. “There’s no perfect place to start,” he says. “You never have everything you need. So you just… start.” With the SF6 as his partner, he began roasting small batches—trying new origins, adjusting profiles, and most importantly, learning from every batch.
He attended a roasting workshop in Carson City and studied under Mark Michaelson, San Franciscan’s Head of Education and a U.S. Roasting Champion. “I came back from that session, showered, and went straight to my roastery to test what I’d learned,” Henrikh laughs. “The conditions were different—different gas pressure, different airflow—but it didn’t matter. I just needed to keep moving.”
That mindset—of motion over mastery—became the foundation for O Coffee.
Creating a Roastery That Feels Like Home
What makes O Coffee special isn’t just the beans or the roasts—it’s the space itself. “At first, I thought my workshops would only interest other roasters,” he says. “But I realized that people—regular people—were curious about coffee roasting. They wanted to understand it, experience it.”
So Henrikh opened his doors.
And the neighborhood showed up.
First, it was a man who wandered in and asked if he could play guitar during a roast. Then it was locals dropping by with art, ideas, and questions. Over time, O Coffee became something more than a roasting space. It became a stage, a classroom, a gallery, and a gathering point. Today, it hosts:
- Deconstructed jazz nights
- Photography exhibitions
- Book clubs and poetry readings
- Hands-on coffee roasting workshops
- "Evenings of Coffee Magic" — immersive roast experiences held late at night
Each event is community-driven, spontaneous, and joyful. “People want emotion,” Henrikh says. “And coffee and music—those are tools for emotion.”
Resisting the Rush to Scale
Many new roasters jump straight into wholesale, seeking volume and consistency. Henrikh chose a different path.
“I didn’t want to lose the part I loved—the discovery,” he says. “If I focus only on wholesale, I might roast one origin every day. But if I stay small and intentional, I can roast many origins, explore profiles, and keep growing.”
This slower, more personal approach resonates with his audience—and it also allows him to teach. Through roasting demos, beginner classes, and behind-the-scenes sessions, Henrikh opens the doors to the craft he loves, helping others learn in a safe and welcoming space.
“Most people don’t even know what roasting is,” he says. “So I start with that. I want to tell the full story—from the farmer to the cup—and show people how much care goes into it.”
What’s in a Name?
The name “O Coffee” is deceptively simple—but rich in meaning.
“To me, ‘O’ is everything,” Henrikh explains. “It’s a circle. A starting point. A middle. A connection. And when I started, my knowledge of coffee was zero. So it fits.”
He also chose a name that could stand alone—something not tied too closely to his personal identity. “I didn’t want to be the face of the brand forever,” he says. “I wanted it to grow beyond me. To be bigger than one person.”
Today, people still sometimes confuse “O Coffee” with “Old Coffee” or search for the wrong domain—but Henrikh doesn’t mind. It’s all part of the fun. And the website, o.coffee
, has become a digital reflection of the physical space: minimal, personal, and full of life.
Advice for New Roasters
When asked what advice he’d give to someone thinking of starting their own coffee journey, Henrikh doesn’t hesitate:
“Start. Don’t wait to be perfect. Just start.”
He recommends trying roasting on a popcorn machine, experimenting in your garage, or even attending a local workshop. The key is to move forward, even if you're not ready.
“Joy lives in the pursuit,” he says. “Not in the destination. And the most beautiful thing you can do is build something that brings people together—something you love.”
The Legacy of O Coffee
Henrikh often refers to his SF6 as his “second wife.” And while that’s said with a smile, it reflects something deeper—a genuine connection to the craft and the machine that helped shape his path.
In a world full of fast-scaling brands and high-pressure business plans, O Coffee stands as a reminder that roasting can be joyful, human, and creative. That a roastery can also be a stage. That a bag of beans can start a conversation. That zero is a beginning—not an end.
And if you’re still wondering whether you’re ready to start roasting, Henrikh has one more message for you:
“Smile more. Be curious. And just start. Everything else will follow.”
Useful Links
- Henrikh's webpage is here: https://www.o.coffee/
- Henrikh roasts on the San Franciscan SF-6
Watch the full interview
