Russia’s assault on Ukraine has spawned a variety of protests across the globe. In the United States, governors from Ohio, Utah, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania have called on liquor stores to remove Russian-made or Russian-branded products from their shelves — and Tennessee's Gov. Bill Lee has called on the state's treasurer to investigate any possible Russian holdings. Here in Nashville, some folks are looking to send a message with their wallets: Support Ukraine.
Nestled in a strip mall on Thompson Lane, Aleksey’s is a small Eastern European market known for its caviar, Moldovan salami, Ukrainian candies and over-the-counter remedies. The Ukrainian-owned shop has experienced an overwhelming amount of support in recent days.
“People are coming in telling us they heard about us on NextDoor or Facebook,'' says a cashier on Monday afternoon. “Most of them don’t even know what to buy, but they want to buy something.”
Case in point: Fred and Ivan Scott, an elderly Brentwood couple. The pair say they decided to venture out to the Berry Hill market after seeing a post on NextDoor. A self-admitted “fish out of water,” Fred, holding a basket full of Ukrainian candies, says he simply asked the owners to help him pick out Ukrainian products.
“This is my first time coming here,” Fred says. “But I’ll definitely be back. These are some of the best dark chocolates I’ve ever had.”
Yuriy Kvaternyuk at Aleksey's Market
Twenty years ago, Yuriy Kvaternyuk and his wife Yevheniya emigrated from Ukraine to Nashville seeking a better life for their then 1-year-old son Maksim.
“We never could get ahead,” says Yuriy, rattling off the string of jobs he held in Ukraine, from delivery man to car dealer. “My friends were in Nashville. Like millions of people, we came for a better life.”
Both found work at Aleksey’s — Yuriy as a chef and Yevheniya as a cashier. Two years later, in 2004, the Kvaternyuks bought the business from owner Aleksey Khimenko. The two sought to grow the grocery store and continue to blend the heritages of their homelands — Ukraine and Russia. Yuriy is a Ukrainian native, and Yevheniya has Russian roots. She says her family moved to Russia when she was a young girl. She and Yuriy found love and began a family in Vinnitsa, which is about a three-hour drive from Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the couple remained neutral on Eastern European and Russian conflicts. Eight years ago, when Russia invaded Crimea, the Kvaternyuks say they kept their opinions to themselves, as customers had divergent views on the Putin power-grab. They showcased their neutrality by hanging Russian and Ukrainian flags side by side in the shop window.
“Back then, I would just listen to them,” says Yevheniya. “I didn’t tell them what I thought. We had one customer who was very happy about what was going on in Crimea.”
But the Kvaternyuks say they cannot remain neutral over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They removed their Russian flag from the storefront. Now, a single Ukrainian flag hangs in solidarity.
Back in Ukraine, their parents, siblings, nieces and nephews hide in bomb shelters.
“They fear for their lives,” Yevheniya says. “They didn’t see this coming. They don’t know when, if, or how it is all going to end.”
Since the invasion, the couple says they have seen a record number of new customers in Aleksey’s. Yevheniya is grateful for the business, but hopes the support doesn’t end when the conflict ends.
