At the entrance to Sedalia, located some 50 miles away from Missouri’s capital at Jefferson City, the roadway sign reads: “City Limits 20 360.” The number reflects the total population of the small provincial town in the very heart of the United States. Sedalia takes great pride for hosting the annual Missouri State Fair, which will have its 104^th anniversary this year. Another hallmark of Sedalia that makes the town a truly unique place is its Russian population. Over three thousand people in Sedalia came there from Russia and the former republics of the Soviet Union. Uncomplicated calculations show that more than 15 percent of the town’s people are Russians.

There is no similar city in the U.S. today. What is even more interesting is that the Russians [the term is used collectively, of course] are continuing to arrive there almost daily. The Russians are coming from Oregon, Washington, California, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio…

Going to milk the cows?

The passions of Russian people from the aforementioned states for moving is clearly noticeable in the offices of realtors Olga Kapitula and Olga Ostapenko, who work for the Missouri Land Brokers agency. The clients are first greeted by a welcoming sign in Russian “Dobro pozhalovat”. People fill the office regularly and the telephones ring all the time.

Olga Kapitula is among the pioneering Russian settlers in Sedalia. She came here seven years ago from Seattle, Washington.

- My husband initially went to Sedalia to see how the first two Russian families liked it. When he came home, he told me that he bought 40 acres of land in Missouri. People looked at us with laughter: “Will you be milking cows there?” These discouragements did not frighten us and my husband came here to build a house. As soon as we settled, guest visits from Washington became frequent. Everybody wanted to see how we were doing and to check land and real estate prices in Sedalia. I became a realtor because I used to take people around in my car to look at the houses. The mortgage broker himself offered me to go through training and take the license exam. Although my academic background is medicine, I do not regret at all the change in profession. I am still doing the same job: I’m helping people.

What is it that attracts people to Sedalia? Nikolai Prokopchyuck, a senior man, moved to Missouri from Sacramento about two years ago.

- Life in California is very expensive. Circumstances forced us to search for something easier and more tranquil. It is like a Ukrainian farming village here. I am very much satisfied and have do not lament my move to Missouri.

The prices on land and houses around Sedalia, several times smaller than those in many other states and cities, account for much of the attraction force. There are good opportunities for investment. Many people buy land in Sedalia for contingency uses, without any explicit and immediate designs. These people may either move to Missouri in the future or sell the land with good profits. According to Olga Kapitula, land prices over the past seven years have risen by 50-70 percent.

Families with small children make the decision of relocating to Sedalia to ensure the well-being of the young generation.

“Schools here are much better than in the big cities,” Olga told me. “It is an ideal place for raising children – far away from all the temptations offered by large cities.”

“Helping the children” seemed to be a constant theme in the discussions I had with many Russian residents of Sedalia. To many, an important reason for moving to Sedalia is the size of its religious community. There are in total four Russian churches in the town.

There are absolutely no signs that Olga Kapitula and her colleagues will be less busy in the foreseeable future.

The Russian spirit lives here

The above assertion can freely be applied to the Russian store in Sedalia. It is located in the very center of the downtown area and carries a name of Izmail. The store’s co-owners are two sisters Alyona and Lilia. The Russians of Sedalia come here to buy what is dear to their hearts: herring fish and kielbasa, lard and cheese, candies and caviar… The list can go on forever. For reasons unknown, Russians seldom buy bread at the store. Home-made loafs, produced by Russian housewives, are earmarked for American consumers. Inside the Russian store, it is also possible to drink a cup of real Italian coffee with a freshly-made nutritious sandwich.                                 

The store’s operator, Alyona, recently returned from a trip to her native Ukraine and was glad to be home. She missed Missouri a great deal. In their tern, Alyona’s American clients missed her. Many Americans came to visit her and even offered flowers.

Elderly man Don Braden, a frequent visitor of Izmail, comes to the Russian café to relax.

- Not only is everything here fresh and delicious, it is also very pleasant to talk to Alyona and Lilia. They are always welcoming. They have a good sense of humor. They can create such an unforgettable atmosphere that makes people want to return to their store again and again. Other American visitors of Izmail, Ted Halling and Sandy Barton completely agree with Don.

Several days prior to my visit to Sedalia, one more Russian store opened in Sedalia. Valentina Danilova started Sunrise Market. One can find here Russian souvenirs, books, and even video rentals.

“American friends asked me about Russian souvenirs so often that I decided to open my own store,” explained Valentina.

Look for the Russian mafia in New York.

Alla Borovitskaya came to Sedalia from Belgorod only a year ago. A fashion designer with 18 years of experience, she did not immediately set out to open her own business. She looked around, practiced the new language, and finally dared to venture into commerce.

- People got to know that I sew well and started asking for my help. I called my friends in other cities who have opened such businesses and asked for advice. “Don’t be afraid, start a company. There will be more work than you can handle. If you’d like, just come and live with us.”      

Alla did not go anywhere from Sedalia. She successfully organized her business in the small Missouri town.

Some of the Russians are buying out large buildings in Sedalia in hopes of starting mass production of various goods. Others are involved in the construction business. Some sell cars, repair them, or use them in a freight-delivery business…

Certainly, not all the Russians in Sedalia are entrepreneurs. Many work for food processing companies. At a local Wal-Mart, I met a Russian cashier. Julia from Ukraine served me tea at a roadside McDonald’s.

The vast majority of American businesses have already come to realize that the Russian market is very beneficial for them. Some are surprised to learn that the population of Russians in the town has reached such large proportions and believe that it would be good to attract that category of clients.

“I am happy that there is such a big Russian community in Sedalia,” said Assistant President of Excel Bank Dana Palmer. “They are really hard-working people, excellent neighbors, and good clients. Our bank extensively works with the Russian community and will do anything possible to increase the number of Russian clients.”

In the Police Department of Sedalia, I was reassured that no Russian crime takes place in the city. The town in general is famous for its respect for law and order.

“You should look for Russian mafia somewhere in New York, not in Sedalia,” the officer smiled.

This is the way Sedalia is – the largest Russian city of America. It is very close to big metropolis areas of Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia. Come and visit!