BOZEMAN — A business owner in Bozeman opened up a shop hoping to bring a taste of Mexico to Montana as the local Hispanic population continues to grow.
Shortly after Rosario Pelayo moved to Montana she began the idea of opening an ice cream shop here in town. That inspiration became Michoacan A Pedir De Boca, located on Bozeman's 7th Ave.
“You have a piece of Mexico, in a place [like Montana], far away from Mexico,” said Pelayo.
Her goal was not only to bring the Hispanic community together but also for a place for Montanans to try a twist on a dessert favorite, "when I first moved here 4 years ago there was an even smaller Latino population."
That number has grown. In 2010 the Hispanic population was around 2% of the total population in Gallatin County, and according to the 2020 census that number now sits at 5% — or just under 6,000.
“There was a lot of pressure to satisfy the Mexican, Latino, and American community here,” said Pelayo.
That pressure then turned into a sigh of relief, "when rumors spread, people kept asking when are you going to open, when are you going to open,” said Pelayo.
It's a place for the Hispanic community to find a taste of home but also for others to try some unique flavors like ice cream and other spicy delights.
“We wanted to share our culture with people here,” Pelayo said. “It's an honor to bring a little bit of Mexico here.”
