Siberia has always been a true Russian Klondike in terms of business. This was understood by both pre-revolutionary entrepreneurs and those who were not afraid to work and think, earning millions there. In the late 19th century, a significant capital was amassed by merchant and philanthropist Andrei Ivanovich Tekutev. He was born in 1838 into a peasant family in the village of Borki in the Tyumen district. From childhood, he helped his father in leather processing, and later moved to the city, where he worked for a time as a clerk.

In the early 1860s, Tekutev decided to start his own business. He did not have a large starting capital, so he began small: trading in small batches of flour and personally carrying heavy sacks to buyers' carts. Despite the back pain and fatigue, an income of up to 600 rubles a month compensated for all the difficulties. It took almost 20 years to 'rise'.

In 1879, Andrei Ivanovich invested in a steam mill, purchasing expensive American equipment and installing two dynamo machines for electricity production. The mill gradually began to bring in good income. Tekutev did not spend money thoughtlessly but invested it in other projects: a candle factory, a slaughterhouse, a steamboat company. Within a few years, his trade turnover exceeded 1 million rubles a year. At the same time, he did not forget to help his hometown. With his funds, a hospital, a vocational school, an elevator were built, and roads were repaired and the embankment strengthened.

Moreover, Tekutev financed the construction of the first stone theater in Siberia and maintained it until his death, allowing workers from his firms to attend performances for free. His charity did not go unnoticed. In 1906, at the initiative of the townspeople, Andrei Ivanovich was awarded the title of 'Honorary Citizen of Tyumen'. He passed away in 1916, leaving a bright mark in the history not only of Tyumen's merchant class but of all Siberia.