On March 24, 2026, local Kent entrepreneur Ryan Brannon will come to the Tap Talks stage to tell the story of the founding of everyone’s favorite caffeine stop: Bent Tree Coffee. Bent Tree’s been in business for over a decade and employs a staff of about 20 people. In addition to the North Water Street coffee emporium, their roasted beans are now a fixture on the shelves of Heinan’s, Acme, Meijers, and Giant Eagle. It’s a real success story…

But wait! There’s more to Ryan’s story. Ryan grew up in Kent and, as a teenager, he became a part of the vibrant music scene in Kent. In the early 2000s, he was a member of two successful punk and rock bands: Party of Helicopters and Beaten Awake. Ryan and his band mates traveled the USA, toured with and opened for The Black Keys, and even wowed the crowds in the UK and Ireland.

According to Ryan, “I’ll be sharing the story of Bent Tree Coffee Roasters and how the business grew out of the creative community in Kent. I’ll also talk about my years touring in bands from Kent in the late 1990s and early 2000s and how that DIY music scene shaped the way I think about business, community, and the building of something local.

Tap Talks is sponsored by Kent Historical Society. It was initiated by Don Schjeldahl, the creator of North Water Brewing, as a way to bring the community together for conversation about life in Kent, Kent’s history, and issues of the day that impact us all. It’s also a chance to enjoy an array of locally-brewed artisan ales and beers. Tap Talks are scheduled monthly at 7 pm at North Water Brewing, 101 Crain Avenue in Kent.

Those who attend will have an opportunity to meet Ryan Brannon and learn more about how his experience is intertwined with Kent and Portage County history.