A couple have opened a grocery shop in a former bridal store in Dundee – as they look to offer fellow Ukrainians a “piece of home”.
Husband and wife Valerii Parchynskyi and Anastasiia Parchynska have transformed the former Bliss Bridal shop at the bottom of Hilltown.
The couple fled their country due to the war with Russia and moved to live with a sponsor family in Edinburgh, before coming to Dundee.
Anastasiia, 35, says on top of the shop, called Kyivsmak, they have ambitions to open a cafe.
Ukrainian couple open Dundee shop after missing home
The mum-of-two said: “Our family moved to Dundee in September 2023 and we’re delighted to open the shop.
“We are very grateful for the help we’ve received so far to make this happen.
“Back in Kyiv, I worked in telecoms and Valerii worked in banking.
“It’s a massive change for us.
“The city has many Polish and Bulgarian stores but no Ukrainian ones.
“We and many others miss home and our products, and that was one of the main reasons for opening the shop – to give people a piece of home.
“There are also plans to open a cafe to give people an opportunity to enjoy Ukrainian food.”
Valerii, 35, says the couple still have relatives living in Ukraine.
He said: “We speak with our family every day about how we are getting on but they’re delighted with us being able to open a business here.
“It’s difficult to keep reading the news.
“We are so thankful that we’ve been able to come to Scotland.
“Dundee feels like home for my family now.”
The pair have been sharing details of the shop’s progress via Instagram.
Bliss Bridal closed in March after more than two decades in business.
Conversation