"Starting a hospitality business in Chicago isn't for the faint of heart. Between finding the right location, navigating bureaucratic red tape, and creating a menu that (fingers crossed) resonates with diners, it's daunting even before the doors open. And once they do, finding and holding onto employees gets added to the mix - to say nothing of the inevitable increases in ingredient prices and, well, everything else too."
"The couple opted for Chicago due to its large Ukrainian community, including some well-established Ukrainian companies in the logistics sector. 'We knew Chicago would be the easiest place to open a restaurant because our community is here and we believe that other people would come and support us,' continues Semeniv. In September, their small coffee bar and cafe, Kazka, opened in Lakeview."
"Three weeks after the restaurant opened, Russia invaded Ukraine. A year later in 2023, the couple sold everything and moved to the U.S. "We want a better future for our kids, and in Ukraine, I don't see a possibility for them to grow," says Roman Semeniv. "It's my responsibility to give them a chance to live in a different community and not in a constant war.""
Roman and Maria Semeniv ran two fast-food businesses in Lviv and planned a larger restaurant, but Russia invaded three weeks after it opened. They sold everything in 2023 and relocated to the United States seeking safety and better prospects for their children. The couple selected Chicago for its sizable Ukrainian community and logistics-sector presence, then opened Kazka, a small coffee bar and cafe in Lakeview. Opening restaurants in Chicago requires securing locations, navigating bureaucratic requirements, developing appealing menus, hiring and retaining staff, and absorbing rising ingredient and operating costs. Other Ukrainian newcomers opened eateries in Wicker Park and Lincoln Park for similar reasons.
Read at Eater Chicago
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