‘Our desire to create is bigger than our fear’: How one Kyiv restaurant rebuilds, adapts and keeps going after 3 Russian attacks
It was never normal for Anna Zavertailo to shelter in her restaurant’s basement kitchen alongside her employees and diners as drones flew overhead. But after multiple attacks damaged her popular family-run businesses in Kyiv, safety has become the top priority. Her restaurants-cum-bakeries, Zavertailo and Honey, which Anna runs with her husband, Stas, have been victims of three separate attacks…
Anna Zavertailo and her husband, Stas, have been running Zavertailo and Honey, a family-run restaurant-cum-bakery in Kyiv, for 12 years. Despite facing three Russian attacks in less than a year, the couple refuses to let the strikes close down their business. The most recent attack, on September 4, damaged the restaurant's windows and caused shock waves that sent furniture flying.
The couple, who had just invested in a new location downtown, now faces repair costs and the closure of their most profitable location for several days. Safety has become their top priority since the attacks began. The couple introduced air alarm protocols and is now seeking grants to buy anti-blast film for their windows to protect them from shock waves.
The attacks have cost them $500,000 in repair costs and lost income, but they are still profitable. However, Anna is terrified of the upcoming winter in Ukraine, where they are underprepared. The couple's customer base has been incredible, with people buying their goods even after the attacks. Despite the challenges, the Zavertailos remain committed to surviving before they can think about growing their business.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
