Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has finally opened his first BigFace Coffee shop in the Design District.

Why it matters: This is the first storefront venture for Butler, who's been teasing it for some time. 

• Known to drink around 10 (!) cappuccinos a day, Butler started BigFace as an online coffee store in 2021. 
• Since then, he's done occasional pop-up coffee truck activations, including at Formula 1's Miami Grand Prix.

Catch up quick: The origins of the company date back to the start of the pandemic in 2020, when Butler brought his French press to the NBA's COVID-sealed campus at Walt Disney World and started a mini coffee shop out of his hotel room.

• "Really surreal," Butler told Axios last night of the journey. "I started this to be able to connect with people and bring people together." 
• "I'm very, very grateful that all my people [who've supported me] got to take this in with me." 

Behind the scenes: The Heat star celebrated the store's opening with a party last night featuring some of his NBA and celebrity friends. 

• DJ Khaled, retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony, French footballer Paul Pogba, Heat center Kevin Love and former NBA guard Brandon Jennings were in attendance.
• "I love it so much," Khaled told Axios. "I'm happy that it's in Miami."

What he's saying: The shop represents "a new frontier in coffee," Butler told Axios, where patrons can "vibe out, play some games, have some coffee and hang out in the BigFace Coffee Shop." 

• "That's the aesthetic I wanted to give off," he said. "Go do your thing and have some fun while you're here." 

The vibe: Silver and futuristic. A long industrial-style coffee bar greets customers. 

• There's merch on the walls, an outdoor courtyard and stadium seating in the back.

The big picture: Butler now joins the likes of other Heat players who've ventured into the food and drink industry. 

• Retired Heat icons Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem opened an 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen franchise in 2018, but closed the Aventura restaurant in 2022. 

If you go: Opens at 9am today at 40 NE 40th St.

• Hours: 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm on Sunday.
• Prices: From $4 for an espresso to $10 for a pour over.

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South African sculptor Marco Olivier is sending an environmental message with his Miami Art Week debut. 

State of play: Olivier's new series, "Fragmented," consists of large face sculptures made of recycled plastic. 

• The plastic — salvaged from a waste site and beach cleanup in Cape Town — is melted down into a black goo and turned into sculptures, Olivier tells Axios.

What they're saying: Olivier says every artist should make a commitment to using sustainable materials to protect the Earth's resources. 

• "The bottom line fact is each one of us is responsible for protecting this little ball that we got as a gift."

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🏞️ A Florida Republican filed a bill that would prohibit sports amenities from being built on state park land. (Tampa Bay Times)

• The proposed legislation comes months after plans to build golf courses, pickleball courts and hotels on park lands were leaked and later rescinded.

🍺 Veza Sur Brewing Co. is rebranding as Casa La Rubia, a nod to its sister brewery, Wynwood Brewing Company. (Miami New Times)

• Veza Sur will temporarily close Monday to undergo renovations before reopening under the new name on Dec. 14 with a holiday party.

There's plenty to do this weekend in Miami. And since it's still Art Week, a lot of what's happening is art-centric. 

• Art Basel and its satellite fairs are open through Sunday, hotels-turned-gallery events are still ongoing and free public art installations remain up for all to see.   

🎶 The New World Symphony Fellows concert on Lincoln Road is a family-friendly event. The musicians will perform holiday music at the Euclid Oval. 

• Today, 7pm-9pm. Free

🖼️ The Art of Transformation in Opa-locka art fair continues this weekend with free nightly events at the Ten North Campus. It highlights the "powerful connection between African and African Diaspora literature and visual art."

• Today-Sunday, 675 Ali Baba Ave. in Opa-locka.

🎷 Art, Blues, & Soul Concert celebrates Black Miami's cultural heritage during Art Basel, with performances by Grammy-nominated Miki Howard and exhibits by Margarette Joyner and A.J. Brown. 

• Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center Wendell A. Narcisse Performing Arts Theater. 
• Saturday, 6pm. $75 

🎨 Little Haiti Little River Art Days highlights arts and culture by encouraging patrons to tour the various galleries and spaces throughout the neighborhood. 

• Saturday, 12pm-5pm. Free

📽️ The Afro-Latino Short Film Competition is on Sunday at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale.

• 10:30am-6pm at 2650 Sistrunk Blvd. Free.

More weekend events

Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing company, announced it's expanding its self-driving taxis to Miami in 2026.

Why it matters: Miami is the sixth city announced for Waymo service, joining Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Atlanta.

Catch up quick: Miami has long been a testing ground for self-driving vehicles — thanks to the city's tropical weather and unpredictable driving conditions.

• Companies like Ford, Lyft and, most recently, Amazon-owned Zoox have tested their vehicles on our streets.

The latest: Waymo says it will begin testing in early 2025.

• The goal is to ramp up to full autonomous driving over the next year before opening its self-driving service in 2026 through the Waymo One app, a spokesperson tells Axios.

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