Our Story
noun; OPUS // a creative work of art, a masterpiece
Opus Coffee is a family owned and operated roastery. Born from the hearts and minds of Gainesville brothers Tim and Bret Larson, the two brothers founded Opus Coffee as a place for their beloved Gainesville community to come together and enjoy sustainable, meticulously crafted, fresh coffee. Opus has provided our devoted customers with the finest quality coffee beverages since it was established in 2002. After thriving in our local Gainesville hospitals, we decided becoming more accessible to our community of local coffee lovers and college patrons was of growing importance. Creating our mobile airstream and Innovation location has allowed us to introduce and provide our signature craft coffee to a wider audience than we ever imagined. Our craft coffee can now be found in many of your favorite Gainesville spots, including award-winning restaurant, Spurriers. The success and growth of Opus Coffee are based on maintaining a work environment in which our skilled baristas can flourish, as well as providing our faithful customers with unparalleled service and the highest quality products.
Opus Coffee, Co-founder
Tim Larson
Tim Larson knew from a young age that he wanted to be an entrepreneur. After graduating high school, he chose to attend university online so he could simultaneously take classes and follow his passions of bicycle racing, living in Europe, and starting his own business with his brother Bret. Tim’s role at Opus centers around new business initiatives, community engagement, and handling the financials. Tim has two children with wife Katie Larson, who is the COO of Opus. Tim loves old buildings and walkable cities. He is a strong advocate of pedestrian and bicycle friendly spaces. Along with Bret, he imagined and then developed the 4th Ave Food Park.
Opus Coffee, Co-founder
Bret Larson
Bret Larson has always had a passion for creativity and helping others. During high school, he enrolled in culinary arts school and at 20 years old started Opus Coffee with his brother Tim. Bret’s role at Opus centers around his desire to create lasting partnerships with the coffee growers by visiting their farms, learning all about their growing processes, and consistently buying their coffee. He then leads the roasting team in creating profiles for new and exciting coffees. Bret has two children with wife Alyson Larson, who teaches at the University of Florida College of Journalism and produces independent environmental documentaries.
Opus Coffee, COO
Katie Larson
Katie Larson joined the Opus Coffee team in 2021 as COO. Katie was born in Atlanta, GA and went to the University of Massachusetts to pursue a degree in English Literature and play D1 water polo. After graduation, she completed a Master’s program at Georgia State University before moving to Gainesville, FL. Before joining Opus, Katie was Content Manager for a publishing company, where she directed a team of up to 30 employees and produced more than a dozen educational volumes a year. Katie has 2 children with husband Tim, who is the co-founder of Opus. Katie prefers mountains over beaches and heads north as often as possible. She specifically loves gurgling creeks and waterfalls!
An Oasis For Our Customers
Here at Opus Coffee, we provide an oasis for our customers while indulging in our true passion: providing the best possible drinks to Opus customers, from bean selection to cupping, and every step in between. But here at Opus Coffee, we strive to be more than Gainesville’s go to coffee shop. We pride ourselves on being active members of our own community. It is important for us to enrich and support our community as fiercely as they enrich and support us. By catering annual charity events, participating in local hospital fundraisers, and donating to Shands Cancer Center, we are able to give back to the very community that has encouraged and allowed us to further our vision. Our mission at Opus is to provide for the welfare of people; making Opus an exceptional dose of positivity for patients, visitors, and guests; and being a joyful influence on all who visit us. We believe that providing and maintaining extraordinary, fresh coffee is but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of our business.
The Entire Process of Selecting a Coffee
Opus Coffee is a family owned and operated roastery. Born from the hearts and minds of Gainesville brothers Tim and Bret Larson, the two brothers founded Opus Coffee as a place for their beloved Gainesville community to come together and enjoy sustainable, meticulously crafted, fresh coffee. Opus has provided our devoted customers with the finest quality coffee beverages since it was established in 2002. After thriving in our local Gainesville hospitals, we decided becoming more accessible to our community of local coffee lovers and college patrons was of growing importance. Creating our mobile airstream and Innovation location has allowed us to introduce and provide our signature craft coffee to a wider audience than we ever imagined. Our craft coffee can now be found in many of your favorite Gainesville spots, including award-winning restaurant, Spurriers. The success and growth of Opus Coffee are based on maintaining a work environment in which our skilled baristas can flourish, as well as providing our faithful customers with unparalleled service and the highest quality products.
