Svetlana Litvak has lived in the USA for over 20 years and owns the store "European flavors." At first, she and her husband, like many immigrants, worked for others: she in a restaurant, he in construction. The idea to open such a business arose naturally.

"There were no familiar Russian products in American stores," Svetlana Litvak says. "We missed our native food and traveled to Chicago to buy groceries in bulk. We have many Russian-speaking friends from the former USSR who also complained about the lack of familiar products like Russian herring, bread, lard, and sausage. That's how the idea of opening a Russian store came about."

Now, the Russian-speaking population of Des Moines are regular customers of Svetlana. Former Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Armenians come to her store to buy not only bread and sausage but also "Soviet champagne," Kyiv cakes, Russian cheese, and black caviar. Popular items also include "Golden Key" toffees, condensed milk, and sunflower seeds.

Vyacheslav Martisov, a customer, notes: "They sell products we grew up with and that seem especially tasty to us. We have a tradition when inviting friends from Russia or the former USSR to set a 'Russian table.'"

Anna Muradova, a customer, adds: "Like it or not, you cook dishes from familiar products. So, if a Russian company gathers, the table will definitely have everything Russian."

The store's name "European flavors" is explained by the fact that its customers are former citizens not only of the CIS but also of Eastern and Western Europe.

Svetlana Litvak shares: "At first, we opened a small store with Russian products. But soon Germans, Americans, and Poles began to come to us, asking for products from their countries. That's how we expanded, and now among our customers are Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russians."

Americans, especially Iowans, are attracted to the wide selection of cheeses available, from French and German to Russian. However, traditional Russian treats like herring or dried fish with beer do not appeal to them. Svetlana Litvak explains this by saying that Iowa is far from the ocean, and locals are not accustomed to such products.

Svetlana Litvak adds: "Sometimes we offer them to try red caviar, but they are afraid to even approach. They say it's fish eggs and can't imagine it could be a healthy product."

Interestingly, among the store's visitors are Americans who have adopted Russian children. They come for help, sometimes not understanding what the child is saying, and ask for translations or to buy their favorite black bread and condensed milk.