Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
How Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks owner Mike McElwain helped brew Magic City coffee culture
Reading time: 6 minutes
When Mike McElwain first set foot in Birmingham in 2002, the city’s specialty coffee scene was still in its early chapters. Today, as the owner of Red Cat Coffee and Birmingham Breadworks, Mike’s influence is woven through the city’s café culture from the beans roasted each morning to the sustainable practices shaping the future.
We sat down with Mike to learn more about his journey in coffee roasting, running businesses and practicing environmental stewardship.
From Alabama to Colorado
Mike grew up in a small Alabama town off Highway 31, just three hours south of Birmingham. His father was a forester, and environmental stewardship was part of everyday life.
“We learned how to respect the environment in a way that made it enjoyable and practical.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
That early appreciation for natural resources led him to study Wildlife Biology at Colorado State University, where he met his wife, Aileen.
After graduating in 1998, job opportunities in his field were scarce. Mike traveled to Mississippi and during his downtime, he stumbled into the world of coffee—a hobby that would soon become a lifelong vocation.
“My mentor ended up being a retired postal worker from Orange Beach, California who was absolutely gung ho about coffee. He gave me every book in his library. He could tell I was hungry.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
Roasting roots in Birmingham
Mike’s early years in coffee were shaped by hands-on learning and travel to coffee events in Atlanta, New Orleans and beyond. By 1999, he was fully immersed in the craft. A few years later, Randy and Mary Adamy, former owners of O’Henry’s Coffees, recruited him to Birmingham.
At O’Henry’s, Mike became a behind-the-scenes force—roasting coffee, managing wholesale operations, training baristas and consulting on café design.
“We had over 100 wholesale accounts that we managed on a regular basis on top of the cafes, and I was essentially the Education Department.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
For nearly two decades, Mike helped shape Birmingham’s growing taste for specialty coffee. But by 2019, he was ready for a new challenge. That fall, he and Aileen officially took the helm at Red Cat Coffeehouses, a beloved local brand with locations at Pepper Place, Railroad Park and UAB Highlands.
“Ownership was a welcome challenge for my creative side. You have to be a bit of a jack of all trades to be successful.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
More than a cup of coffee
For Mike, coffee is more than a product—it’s a bridge between memory, culture, community and environmental stewardship.
“I think for me, coffee is a sense of nostalgia. I have a sense of nostalgia with it, because my grandmother owned a shop in downtown New Orleans when I was a little kid.
Coffee is able to transport you to some other place and time, whether it be we want to connect to where that coffee was grown, or maybe a memory, because coffee, like food, has a sensory map in your brain. It remembers very specific things based on taste. It’s a welcoming place, a melting pot of people. You can bring all cultures, all types, into one space to enjoy a product.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
That philosophy extends to how he runs his businesses. Red Cat and Birmingham Breadworks are Gold Level members of the Alabama Environmental Council’s EAT (Earth Aware Team) program, a local initiative promoting sustainable restaurant practices.
Mike has worked to cut down on single-use plastics, switch to reusable mugs and reduce straw consumption across his cafés.
“If we’re selling 1,000 drinks a day, how can we make a move to reduce our waste? It’s a choice and a mindset shift, but it can be done. Sure, now we have dishes we have to wash, but we have far fewer things going in the trash as a result.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
Brewing Birmingham history: The Landmark Series
One of the most creative expressions of Mike’s vision is Red Cat’s Landmark Series—a line of coffee blends and labels inspired by some of Birmingham’s most recognizable sites.
The Landmark Series bridges that gap, blending local history with distinctive flavor profiles. Available online, in Red Cat cafés, and even at local Piggly Wiggly grocery stores, the series includes:
- Light Rails—Inspired by Railroad Park featuring a light + fruit-forward roast
- Ironworks—Inspired by Sloss Furnaces, this blend is big, bold + rustic
- Full Steam Ahead—Inspired by Powell Steam Plant featuring a dark + flavorful roast
- Jones Valley Blend—Inspired by Jones Valley Trail + the history of Alabama’s trade + agriculture, this is a balanced medium roast
- Alabama Audubon Blend—Partnering with Alabama Audubon, this blend pays homage to the Yellowhammer, Alabama’s state bird and specifically utilizes only Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees
What’s next for Mike + Aileen McElwain
At 50, with 26 years of experience under his belt, Mike isn’t chasing rapid expansion. He’s focused on refining the businesses he leads and nurturing the teams behind them.
Aileen plays a crucial role, bringing her background in psychology and education from UAB to support communication, training and operations.
“The number one thing we’re dealing with is people—more than the product. Managing people takes a certain finesse and skill set. The most important thing is: be kind, be humble and be patient. Aileen is visionary yet practical, so her help was essential from day one.”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
As for the future, Mike is open but measured.
“More is not always better. How I use my time is important to me. I get bored easily—that’s dangerous!”
Mike McElwain, Owner, Red Cat + Birmingham Breadworks
For now, his focus remains on great coffee, sustainable practices and the community that has grown around both.
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