As the population of Eden Prairie continues to become more diverse, businesses are also expanding to cater to the community’s growing multiculturalism. One example is the Kifaax Coffee Shop, which opened in December near the Eden Prairie Post Office in Anderson Lakes Center.
Besides coffee and other African and Middle Eastern beverages, Kifaax Coffee Shop also features a unique array of East African foods, drinks, and women’s fashion clothing. All the women’s clothing for sale is imported from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The shop also features shoes, scarves, and Somali headgear.
Kifaax Coffee Shop is a family business owned by Ikran Omar. Along with her two brothers, they operate the store at 8789 Columbine Road, seven days a week, from 9:30 am to 9:30 pm.
Although the shop has quickly become a gathering spot for Somali and Arabic immigrants, Omar says its popularity is growing among many ethnicities. She says that she is especially focused on her food and beverage selections.
“People love my sambusas [pastries containing chicken or beef], espressos, and fresh smoothies,” Omar says. “We also offer fresh juices from both fruits and vegetables.” She looks forward to summer when she’ll be selling her brand of ice cream rolls.
Omar, a native of Somalia, has been in America for 10 years with her family. Although they have lived in Minnesota for much of this time, she admits that winters are difficult. “I don’t like winters,” she said. “I hate the cold.”
Instead, she looks forward to rainy weather. When asked why, she explained that as a child in Somalia, “my friends and I used to play all the time outside during the rainy season.”
In addition to running a small business, Omar is a mother of four young children. Even with such a full schedule, though, she manages to make time to serve the local community as a volunteer, giving rides to people who need transportation or help with delivering groceries and drug prescriptions.
“I am excited to have my business here,” she said. “And I look forward to growing even bigger in the next few years.”
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