A new business is celebrating its grand opening this weekend in the area known as George Floyd Square in south Minneapolis.

Bichota is just steps away from 38th and Chicago and the owner says he has a vision for what this new coffee shop can bring to the community.

“We couldn’t imagine it anywhere else,” said owner C. Terrence Anderson. “I think coffee comes from black and brown communities around the equator, so we don’t typically see black and brown culture in coffee shops in the United States, so we wanted to reflect that here.”

Anderson hopes it can be an uplifting gathering place in an area that’s seen incredible trauma.

The coffee shop is right across the street from where George Floyd was murdered back in 2020.

Protestors blocked the roads to the intersection for more than a year, causing some businesses to move out. There have long been talks over how to reimagine 38th and Chicago.

“I think there’s a lot to the square; there’s tragedy, but there’s also lots of joy in learning, so I think Bichota reflects that joy that exists in this community more than anything,” Anderson said.

Anderson — a first-time business owner from north Minneapolis — says there’s so much culture in coffee.

“Bichota is almost like an art project for me more than anything; I feel like this is a reflection of my identity in a lot of different ways, telling it through the story of coffee.”

He believes brewing up the flavors of the world can truly bring people together.

“Every neighborhood should have a coffee shop like every neighborhood should have trees; there’s just sort of an essential component to it, so I think that’s what we’re finding here that folks want.”

Bichota is now open seven days a week and hopes to be around for years to come.