UTSA alumnus Alex Lee and partner Jake Scott opened their new coffee shop, Indy Coffee this Saturday in a retail space in the Prado building off UTSA Boulevard.

“I wanted to see it there (by UTSA). It was a need that was not fulfilled when I was going to school there. I just wanted young people to have access to good coffee,” Lee stated.

Lee and Scott worked at Local Coffee their senior year of college and eventually decided they wanted to open a shop that better expressed their personalities and interests.

Indy Coffee has been operating out of a mobile truck for the last two years, longer than expected due to delays in Prado’s construction.

“It was tough,” Lee explains, “but all the delays and everything helped us marinate in our ideas and really fine tune a lot of the things that we probably would have been rushed to do if we stuck to the original time-line.”

Indy Coffee’s time in the food truck also helped them develop a solid reputation and gained them many loyal customers, who provide endorsements on their social media sites.

Indy Coffee’s committment to create a sense of community is one reason for the loyal following.

“Coffee was always secondary,” Lee explains. “Coffee was something to bring people in day to day and allow us be part of their daily routine. But more than that, we’re interested in fashion. We’re interested in culture… We wanted a lot of the elements to be representative of Texas.”

In order to represent Texan culture, Indy Coffee has used local companies and artists to build the interior aesthetic of their store, including the 100-year-old Texas wood that makes up their counter top.

They are still passionate about good coffee, though. All of their coffee is single origin, and their roaster of choice right now is Parlor Coffee based out of Brooklyn, NY.

Indy Coffee will also be serving pastries, supplied by La Panaderia on Broadway St.

UTSA student William Wise says, “I usually go to Starbucks (on campus), but I like to see local businesses grow, and I think it will be a big hit with students.”

UTSA alumna Kirstine Haynes frequented Indy Coffee in their mobile location.

“I’m so grateful to have Indy and their knowledgeable staff only a street over from me,” Haynes states.

“I’m hoping Indy’s success will encourage other quality, locally-owned businesses to the UTSA area.”

Indy Coffee is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Indy Coffee can provide students a new study spot or a place to relax when they’ve finished their work.

“We wanted it to be an inclusive experience,” Lee states, “If you come in here, you’ll always have something to do.”