Kyiv Bagel Cafe Sells 90-Plus in a Day as Air Raid Sirens Drive Comfort Demand
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 15
Kyiv Bagel Cafe Sells 90-Plus in a Day as Air Raid Sirens Drive Comfort Demand
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 15
Summary
More than 90 bagels sold out at Uiavy Beyhly on a recent Sunday, giving owners Andrii and Olga Chevozorov their best turnover yet despite near-hourly overnight air alerts.
Customers kept coming as sirens sounded through the day, with Olga saying loud missile nights often send Kyiv residents looking for a small ritual that helps them get through the next day.
Andrii, 28, opened the cafe after losing part of his right leg to a mine in 2023; after rehab in New York, he and Olga returned to Kyiv and shifted the business to house-made bagels only.
The war still shapes operations: bombardment has disrupted ingredients, last winter's strikes forced a move to a more reliable location, and the couple lost an employee to the draft.
The veteran-owned cafe is now profitable enough to employ a barista and social media manager, offering a rare growth story and a model for other Ukrainians returning from the front.