Tenants are leaving the Bessarabsky Market in Kyiv due to a lack of customers
Following a major renovation, the Bessarabian Market in downtown Kyiv has seen an exodus of some vendors and food establishments. Vendors attribute the situation to changes in the market’s concept and product lineup, rising prices, and, as a result, a decline in the number of visitors.
A reporter visited the market in the morning and during the peak of the workday on September 18 and observed a significant number of empty stalls and closed establishments.
In the morning, only a few stalls were open at the Bessarabsky Market, including those selling meat and seafood. Several coffee shops were also open.
At the same time, most stalls remained empty, and some establishments were closed.
One of the vendors who continues to work at the market said that there used to be far more people here.
“The market stalls used to be packed, but now it’s simply not profitable to work here. After the renovation, people stopped coming here altogether,” she said.
According to the woman, the familiar atmosphere of the Bessarabian Market has changed since the renovation, and the assortment no longer includes the items that regular customers used to come here for.
“People probably don’t like it here after the renovation. They took away the things people needed. And everything has become much more expensive,” the vendor said.
As an example, the market worker cited the cost of vegetables. She said that high-quality tomatoes, which used to cost around 200–300 UAH, now sell for about 1,000 UAH.
At the same time, she noted that the problem isn’t limited to shoppers. Restaurants operating in the new space have also felt the rise in costs.
“For the restaurants that have opened here, the situation has been similar. Prices have skyrocketed across the board; it’s become unprofitable to keep these establishments open under such conditions,” the vendor added.
At the end of 2025, the Bessarabsky Market reopened after a major renovation. Part of the space was transformed into the “Bessarabka. Food Market” gastronomic project, which was intended to combine a traditional market with a modern food hall.
According to Forbes, approximately $3.5 million was invested in the renovation and launch of the gastronomic space. The project included about 400 seats and 17 food corners.
However, just a few months later, some of the establishments began leaving the market. Specifically, in June, it was reported that Gelarty and Sushi Icons had left, “Ministry of Desserts” had closed, and “Vitacha” had ceased operations.
According to Forbes, about half a year after the renovation, the Bessarabsky Market lost about a third of its tenants. Business owners cited low foot traffic and location issues as among the reasons.
At the same time, the project’s director, Natalia Dzhulay, announced her departure from “Bessarabka: Food Market.” It was reported that during its first months of operation, the food hall had failed to attract the expected number of visitors.
The Bessarabsky Market is a municipal enterprise. It is carrying out part of the current work using its own funds, generated from its business activities.
In 2025, the municipal enterprise also signed a contract with the “Conservation and Restoration Center” to develop documentation for restoration work.
At the same time, funds from the Kyiv city budget had previously been earmarked for the building’s restoration. Under the city’s 2019–2022 program, 148 million hryvnias were planned to be allocated for this work.
The Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) emphasized that the work should not alter the building’s historical appearance.
In 2024, Valentin Mondriyevskyi, deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration, stated that the project did not involve reconstruction or rebuilding, but rather the reorganization of the interior space and the restoration of the market stalls.
Currently, some business owners are critical of the results of the renovation, while the Bessarabsky Market continues to operate, and the situation regarding tenants and foot traffic remains a topic of debate.
