Good News

Who's the most powerful man in town?
Mayor - No, he's elected and can be ousted.
Mafia - a Hollywood farce. Please.
Okay, that was sort of a trick question, since it isn't a single person in Lviv ... more like a single entity. And the answer is (drum roll please) - Lviv Gas. Nothing here gets done without the blessing of the gas department (especially if you have industrial dryers that run on gas).
Today Lviv gas came, dug a trench from the main gas-line in the road to our building, laid the gas pip-line, and covered their marks. This is good news for Bubbles, great news for us. Now we just need them to flip the switch and send that clean-burning energy our way.

Covered & Completed Gas Line for Bubbles

To grasp the full-nature of this situation, we have to give a little back story. Before we quit the day job in San Francisco to start this venture, we hired two Ukrainians who are long-time, trustworthy friends to get the business process started. A main task entrusted to their care was to find a location for Bubbles - said location was to have specific capability for the water, gas, and electric needs (all clearly outlined in writing). The location we're in, they said, met all the needs we sent ...

and to be sure, they even sent pictures of the gas pipe-line connected to our building (painted yellow).
So we gave the green-light, and they began the time consuming paper-work process to lease the building.
You can imagine our horror when, in July, we learned that the building does not have gas at all. How can this be?! You even sent pictures of the gas-line to the building before we gave the final okay? "Oh, sorry ... those pictures must have been to a different building," was the only response and explanation we received. While an honest mistake, this 'mix-up' has cost us dearly. Lesson learned - you are only as successful as those who represent you ... and if you want something done correctly, you have to do it yourself.
We then began the arduous process of securing gas for our store. Many, many hours (late nights, early mornings, and full-days of work) were spent meeting people, getting signatures, project approval, and such ... yes, even at times meetings in back seats of cars, because 'offices' are not where such business is conducted.
White gloves were used as many players seemed to emerge with vested interest in how, when, if, and at what cost we were to receive our necessary gas-line - our construction company, and landlord, for example. In truth, the whole scenario has not yet fully been played out. The good news, however, is that we hold the ace - the gas-line - and it is sure to be a meeting of gentlemen that even Georgette Heyer would be proud of.
In addition to the gas-line, yesterday we also received final documentation from the water and sewer department, allowing Abilit (the construction company) to connect our sewer line to the already existing line - rather than building a whole new line, costing more money, and time (which Abilit previously insisted was the only way).
All and all, we'd say it was one of our most productive days since we've been in Ukraine - and that is the good news!