<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/maxpruna/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Max Pruna⁠</a> had never tasted specialty coffee.</p><p>But one day at Northeastern University in the mid 2010s, craft coffee pioneer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Howell_(entrepreneur)" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠George Howell⁠</a> poured Max the cup of coffee that would change his life.</p><p>Inspired by this one sip, Max then dedicated his life to learning everything about craft coffee, eventually leading him to open La Mulita Coffee in Rye, N.H., now one of the most beloved shops on the Seacoast.</p><p>In a replay of one of the most popular "Seacoast Stories" episodes of 2025, Colombia native Max Pruna joins <a href="https://www.instagram.com/troy_farkas/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠host Troy Farkas⁠⁠⁠</a> to discuss growing up in Colombia when drug lord Pablo Escobar was terrorizing the streets, the immigration process that brought him and his wife to the U.S. in the early 2000s, when he first discovered specialty coffee, why he opened La Mulita in 2019, the Portsmouth politics that nearly prevented him from opening the shop at all, the creative ways La Mulita survived the pandemic, and so much more.</p><p>CHAPTERS:</p><ul><li>Growing up in dangerous Colombia (00:00)</li><li>Max's emigration to New Hampshire (06:45)</li><li>Max's career prior to La Mulita (15:48)</li><li>SPONSORS: Sage Portsmouth &amp; We Can Help! (19:42)</li><li>Learning about specialty coffee from George Howell (22:18))</li><li>The fight to open La Mulita in 2019 (36:30)</li><li>Surviving the pandemic (45:24)</li><li>What makes La Mulita a special Seacoast spot (49:25)</li></ul><p>To support Max, you can visit him at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lamulitacoffee/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠La Mulita⁠</a> Monday-Saturday from 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. To purchase perfectly roasted coffee beans, check out <a href="https://lamulitacoffee.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorTiNQioiyyulbCLN9mY1zlMgYOmhqn5ZhYUPsmiTu3dORSjTv6" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠LaMulitaCoffee.com⁠</a>.</p><p>UPCOMING EVENTS:</p><ul><li>Seacoast Stories Dinner Club is taking over Newburyport, MA, on Wednesday, January 7 at 6:30 p.m.! <a href="https://seacoaststories.dnnr.io/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠Book your seat here⁠⁠⁠</a> to make new friends.</li></ul><p>SPONSORS:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sageportsmouth.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠Sage Portsmouth⁠⁠</a>: Portsmouth's newest luxury condominiums are here ... and they're a steal! From now through 12/31, 20+ select units are available with BIG discounts. Prices start at $429,900. <a href="https://www.sageportsmouth.com/contact/preview" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠Inquire here.⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wecanhelp.nh/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">We Can Help!</a>: Need a deep clean of your home? We got you! You can book one of our favorite Seacoast services <a href="https://www.wecanhelpcleaning.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">here.</a> You won't regret it.</li></ul>