Russian and European Store in Idaho Falls

[Jaga]

Today there was a story in our local newspaper about the store. I will try to post it and also the picture. I am so glad that this store attracts the attention!
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Varvara Laird opened a grocery store called Ida-Russkie, which she hopes will fill the need for more European foods.

Varvara Laird, an immigrant

from Russia, opened Ida-Russkie in September.

Since then, the Russian and European grocery
store has become a hit among eastern Idahoans who no longer have to travel to Salt Lake City or Boise to get the items they want.

QUESTION: Why did you create Ida-Russkie?

ANSWER: When I came from Russia, I missed the food. On our (Varvara and her husband, Brent) way back home from Salt Lake, I thought, "I don't want to go to college. I want to open a Russian store." So we look around, got information and opened the store last year.

QUESTION: What type of things do you sell?

ANSWER: I sell the things Russians and European miss -- sausages, cheese and buckwheat. You have it here, but it's not the same. There's also Russian chocolate; it's not so waxy.

We sell Russian souvenirs -- scarves, matryoshka dolls (Russian stacking dolls).

QUESTION: Who are your customers?

ANSWER: At first it started with Russian people from Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Blackfoot and Pocatello. Then we got customers from Jackson Hole. Now we have French, Austrian, Swedish and, of course, American customers.

QUESTION: How is American business different from Russian business?

ANSWER: I can't really say. I didn't own my business (Laird worked in a chemical plant's financial office). I couldn't open my store in Russia. It's not easy to open a business in America, but it is possible.

QUESTION: What are some of the challenges of owning your store?

ANSWER: There are no guarantees. Salt Lake has thousands of Russians, but there are only 40 to 50 Russians here. But I see that not only Russians like my store, but Americans, too.

QUESTION: Do you consider your business a success?

ANSWER: Yes. From the beginning, it's been good. Almost every day I see new customers.

QUESTION: Do you have any future plans?

ANSWER: Many people will come in and want to see the menu. I have to tell them it's (Ida-Russkie) a grocery store. I would love to make it a grocery store and cafe. We're looking for other buildings now.

It won't be a restaurant. In Russia, a restaurant is somewhere you go to eat where it's formal and there's music playing and you can dance. I just want a small cafe.

If you go

Ida-Russkie is located at 2788 N. Holmes Ave. in Idaho Falls. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

[Jaga]

and here is a picture

[Jaga]

You could see small girl - this is the youngest Varvara daughter - on the picture.

Here is another picture - Varvara is on the left and the ladies are choosing sausages or cheese from the refrigerator section.

[bescheid]

What a wonderful enterprise for Idaho Falls! To provide a valuable service to Russian immigrant families for a link to their former home land. And, some new and different for local residents to sample of.

Have you many Russian families? Of Ukrainian, are they in prominence in this area?

There are a great many Ukrainian and some Russian families in this area of the North West {USA}. They keep primarily to them selves and are very industrious. Many of the ladies {Russian/Ukrainian} work as employees in retail, whilst many of the young fellows, work in construction. I have yet to observe any vagrant type on the streets.

The people {Russian/Ukrainian} in this area is commensurate with those in Canada. They are Hardy, and keep good families and are good workers.

Charles

[Jaga]

Charles,

actually this store provides also a lot of Polish food, but there are less Poles here than Russians. It provides also other European foods as well. It is really nice to have it here!