Unique Ukrainian coffee shop serves up family atmosphere and home away from home

There's something about sitting down in a homey room, hot cup of coffee or tea in hand, and forgetting the hustle and bustle of life while having a chat with a friend or family member 

Soft music is in the air and maybe the kids are playing nearby, occupied by some toys so they're staying out of the adults' hair. 

It's the atmosphere Yullia Konarieva, 30, and her husband, Artur Konariev, 33, have envisioned for their coffee shop in London, Ont. It's run out of the same building that houses the London Ukrainian Centre. 

"Come in to a warm place, sit down and talk, enjoy a coffee or desserts. We don't know what will happen tomorrow and we don't know what to expect, so it's really important to have this time with your family and people that you love," said Konarieva.

The family knows all about the uncertainty of the future — they arrived in Canada two years ago after fleeing Ukraine to Poland in the wake of the Russian invasion, which is approaching the three-year mark. They were sponsored by a Canadian family and have now opened Hutsul Coffee Factory. 

"We try to create a place where everyone from Ukraine could come and feel like they came to Ukraine," said Konarieva, who came to Canada with her husband and their two children, as well as her 16-year-old sister.

They began living their dream to open a coffee shop soon after arriving in Canada. After hearing the hype about Tim Hortons, they were disillusioned and wanted to bring a bit of flavour from home to Canadians. 

"Life here is really different than in Ukraine," said Konariev, who worked as a product designer and IT specialist in Ukraine 

"About the coffee, I like different types of brewing, espresso or cappuccino. We created Hutsul Coffee Factory so I can roast the beans, using a Ukrainian profile to brew light and medium-dark roast. You'll notice the taste of caramel and chocolate and hazelnuts. I want to show Canadians that we have different types of coffee and it can be enjoyable." 

A taste of home

Their coffee shop, decorated by a Ukrainian interior designer, sells desserts and food made by Ukrainian creators. They aim to make it a place where Ukrainians can feel like they're stepping back into a bit of home, and where Canadians can discover the rich traditions of Ukraine, said Konarieva, who was a teacher and artist in Ukraine. 

"Ukraine is big. Each region is different and each region expresses themselves differently, and we want to show people that there are many differences in the country." 

The Hutsul people are an ethnic group that span parts of western Ukraine. The walls of the coffee shop are covered with pictures of famous Ukrainians who have made a mark on the country and the world. 

When you move to another country, immigration is a hard process," Konarieva said. "It's not easy to leave everything and go to another country. For our community, we want to be a place where you can find some peace and just relax." 

A decade ago, living in Kyiv, Konarieva said she would have laughed at the suggestion that she'd be running a café in Canada in 2025.

"We thought about having a coffee shop, but we thought it would be something for when we are older," she said. "Now we understand that we have just one life and not a lot of time, so we just need to do just what is in our heart."