CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A new pop-up space called “c Ukraine” has turned the North Tower of Wrigley Building into a showcase of local, Ukrainian retailers — and for pop-up manager Khrystyna Bodnarchuk, c Ukraine is one more way to support her home country.
Bodnarchuk told WBBM that when she first heard about the Russian invasion into Ukraine, all she could do was cry.
“I was very devastated when the war started and didn’t know what I could do,” she said. “The first couple days, to be honest, I was just crying and watching the news nonstop.”
Bodnarchuk moved to Chicago 15 years ago but visited Ukraine regularly in the years since. Then the war began.
“Something came to my heart,” she said. “I thought, ‘I have to start doing something.’”
She started to collect donations and first aid, which she shipped overseas. Soon, Bodnarchuk began traveling to Ukraine to provide humanitarian support in red zone regions. During Bodnarchuk’s first visit during the war, she said she was welcomed with air sirens.
“It was scary, but also I saw the reactions of people,” she said. “Everyone was organized and started moving to the bomb shelters. People helped each other.”
Bodnarchuk said she was overwhelmed by the amount of support she saw from others during a time of chaos.
“To see it in person, that was very powerful,” she said. “To see that my people, Ukrainians, are in such a difficult time … they became more united and stronger than they’ve ever been.”
She said she hopes more people around the world can see the resilience of Ukrainians, including those who visit c Ukraine.
“It’s a little piece of Ukraine and the warmness that comes from Ukraine,” Bodnarchuk said.
The pop-up experience is the product of a partnership between retailers and the consulate general of Ukraine in Chicago — managed by World Business Chicago — and represents Ukrainian artists, talents, beauty, foods and people, Bodnarchuk said.
Bodnarchuk said c Ukraine works in collaboration with United 24, a charity project that was created by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The pop-up aims to collect close to $570,000, which will go toward rebuilding a damaged children’s hospital in eastern Ukraine.
“It’s not fully destroyed, but our goal is to rebuild it and have it fully ready so that people and children especially can be taken care of,” Bodnarchuk said.
C Ukraine will be open seven days each week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Oct. 13.
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