January 24, 2022

Put Those Cute Faces to Work!


Put Those Cute Faces to Work!
Wouldn't you want to say hi? Flickr user David Slater

With the addition of several cuddly bandits, Voronezh businessman Yuri Pavlov's shop on Patriot Avenue has become a place where drivers come for more than just new tires.

By adding a comfortable living space for four friendly raccoons in his tire shop, Yuri's intention was simply to keep himself and his coworkers from feeling lonely. However, the tiny petting zoo has turned his business into a local attraction, with customers coming in just to play with the fluffy mischief-makers. In fact, the raccoons have become the mascots of the shop, even making their appearance on the business's emblem. (Now that's what we call rags to riches!)

Yuri got the first three of his raccoons (Shipon, Tikhon, and Roni) nearly six years ago at a pet shop in Krasnodar. More recently, he adopted the fourth of the bunch, Businka.

The raccoons, though friendly and playful with customers, do get into their fair share of trouble. A small jar hangs on the animals' enclosure for tips to help with their upkeep, and Yuri noticed one day that 2000 rubles (about $25) had been stolen from the jar and made into bedding.

In case you're interested in other famous Russian animals, we have a treat for you!

 

You Might Also Like

Boozy Raccoon
  • August 06, 2021

Boozy Raccoon

Trash-panda no more, this raccoon has developed a hankering for fine wine. 
Ferreting Into Adventure
  • June 01, 2021

Ferreting Into Adventure

The world's luckiest ferret is set to go on the vacation of a lifetime in the Altai mountains. 
Missing Raccoon, Anyone?
  • March 23, 2021

Missing Raccoon, Anyone?

In which a raccoon is returned safely back home— but not to the habitat you might expect. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955