– Eugene, where did you live before moving to Austin and how did you end up here?
I was born in Uzbekistan (Tashkent). The family immigrated to Ukraine in the early 2000s. After graduating from a university in Kiev, I spent a year in South Korea. In 2017, my wife and I decided to move to the United States. We have been living in Austin for three years.
– Tell us about your work. How did you organize your company and business? Did you experience any difficulties?
I do everything related to hookahs. The difficulties I experienced were due to the fact that in Austin (and in the United States as a whole) the hookah industry is not developed and the owners of the establishments do not want to change anything. Therefore, it took a long time to explain to the owners the advantages of changing equipment and materials, and why it is generally needed. Some agreed, and some decided not to introduce anything new.
– What do you like about Austin most of all?
I like that the city is developing and growing. Because of these qualities, there are great opportunities within it.
– How do you participate in the life of the Russian-speaking community?
I have organized meetings for hookah lovers several times. I am thinking of starting it back up and doing it on a regular basis.
– What are you involved in and like to do besides this?
I have always been interested in and passionate about the HoReCa industry. I study UI/UX design.
– How can Austin’s Russian speakers support you?
Right now I am not needing support. But when I have asked for help in the past, the Russian-speaking residents of Austin were always very responsive and kind, which made me very happy.
– Which event in the life of the community from the past few years did you enjoy the most?
The game “Mozgoboyna”, but unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to visit because the location of the game is inconvenient for me. But I would like for there to be more such events.
Contact information:
Instagram: yevheniiem
Email: yeemcompany@gmail.com
Interviewer: Ekaterina Medvedeva-Kosova
Publisher: Russian Cultural Center