Coffee is one of the most essential and delicious delicacies a college student can enjoy. It is there for comfort during the long tireless nights and provides motivation in the early mornings. San Antonio is a city that is home to many local coffee shops including that of UTSA alumnus, Jorge Codina, the proud owner of the local coffee shop Stranded Coffee.

The creation of Stranded Coffee began with Codina and his fellow business partners, Michael Hildebrand and Benjamin Graves. Codina’s journey started at San Antonio College, where he obtained his associate degree in music. Then, in 2015, he joined the Roadrunner family and graduated from UTSA with a marketing degree in 2018. UTSA aided him in his business journey as he gained a lot of knowledge through the many experiences he faced and the countless people he met.

Codina first fell in love with the craft of coffee after going on a transformative trip to Seattle in 2014 with his two business partners and a current employee. During this trip, they stopped at a coffee shop in San Francisco where Codina tried his first cup of pour-over coffee. 

“This cup of pour-over coffee completely changed the game for me and sparked an interest in coffee I didn’t know I had,” Codina said. 

After this experience, he began investing his time in practicing the craft of coffee and getting inspired by the many coffee shops that surrounded him. When Codina graduated from university, he began working a day job but decided to fully invest his time in what he was genuinely passionate about — coffee. He attended his first pop-up event with one of his current business partners and began serving coffee for the first time, and little by little started to invest more in his business. 

In April 2021, the vision of Stranded Coffee finally became a reality when it opened in downtown San Antonio. There were a lot of obstacles that came with wanting to start a business, the pandemic being one of them, but Codina ended up finding the iconic trailer that Stranded Coffee now uses to sell their delicious beverages. Codina’s love for music and coffee is what mainly inspired the brand of the business, which created a very unified and unique community where individuals can feel nostalgic over the punk rock music scene. The owners and employees have a very genuine and personable character to them and thoroughly enjoy speaking to their customers about their shared love for music through caffeinated drinks and creating stronger bonds with their customers. Stranded Coffee also prides itself in its annual Warped Tour-themed event, where its coffee shop sells seasonal drinks inspired by the traveling rock music festival. 

Many obstacles come with starting your own business like funding and finding the right crew. Codina’s advice for anyone wanting to venture out and create a business of their own is to not be afraid to start small, not burn bridges and always be consistent. Overall, Stranded Coffee provides an amazing experience for individuals everywhere, from the delicious drinks to the welcoming community and amazing staff. So, if you want to support a fellow ‘Runner and a local small business, make sure to check out Stranded Coffee the next time you want a tasty drink or treat; you will not be disappointed.

For more information about Stranded Coffee, visit their website https://www.strandedcoffee.com/ or their Instagram page @strandedcoffeeclub.