Davainis, the founder of the first cooperative in Lithuania: did not know where to put the money

Tricolor flags, stickers and flags during the great S thejūdis demonstrations were the products that people considered to be fresh buns.

During the founding congress of the Sąjūdis, he also created the first commercial kiosk in Lithuania at the Vilnius Concert and Sports Hall.

I learned from the Jews

“I learned business from the Užupis Jews, who sold water in Soviet times. Ordinary water – one kopeck, carbonated – three. They said: “You have to do everything little by little to make yourself a kopeck after a kopeck,” said one of the country’s first entrepreneurs.

Today s. Davain laughs that he didn’t have the patience to wait “until it exploded.” So when everyone was driving in Moscow he was a BMW, when others drank “ink” he drank cognac.

Later he launched into politics, becoming the first prophet of liberalism, but quickly became cold. It is said that it is possible to participate in politics by having a team by your side, not with whips. When they are not there, one will do nothing.

He also re-established the Rotary Club in Lithuania and established the Masonic Lodge, which became a separate lodge in the world.

Cooperative No.1

The first generation of entrepreneurs from independent Lithuania grew up in conditions of infinite deficit, and as soon as the screws were loosened slightly, many people in garages, warehouses or apartments rushed to sew, knit and dive into other home businesses. The products were transported to the Soviet Union in general.

Then you could suddenly lose because everything was missing.

However, the start of business in independence was inseparable even from previous times: the “perestroika”, one of whose components was the partial legalization of private businesses in the form of cooperatives.

Today, there are many people who can boast that their cooperative was the first in Lithuania. The first cooperative marked as No.1 was registered in Vilnius by businessman Š. Davainis, and in Kaunas – Arvydas Stašaitis. The family cooperative of the Stikliai owners, Romas Zakarevičius, Anna and Aleksandras Ciupijai, was the second in Vilnius.

“As soon as Mikhail Gorbachev allowed it, the next day I went and registered the cooperative. It was 1989. I have cared about having my own kopeck since childhood. Fifteen years ago, because of your cooperation with the dissidents, I was expelled from school with a” wolf ticket. “Therefore, I had to try everything: I loaded coal, jeans and plates. And more serious things started when I became interested in screen printing. I printed several notes on common T-shirts, images of popular artists at the time”, Š . Davainis

Incidentally, he became the pioneer of the cooperative movement not only in Lithuania. It became the People’s Consumer Goods Production Cooperative no. 1 founder in Russia. It says that the statutes are still in force.

The money was carried by “clips”

Š. Physicists familiar with Davain built machines to make disposable “clips” (earrings). 50 pieces were printed at once, and the pair cost three rubles.

“At the time, I was following the Ford Transporter principle: better for less, but in larger quantities. Those “clips” were glued to me in half of Vilnius, and family Jews took me to all the haberdashery shops in the Soviet Union. They even made it to the Urals, ”recalled the old businessman.

According to him, those sticky “clips” were like drugs for girls. And it doesn’t matter that they fell during the night sleep. They were bought over and over again.

Skimmed cream

Personally, Š. For Davain, the most successful stage in the business was the beginning. “She was the best, because the first person to skim the cream is the luckiest,” said the interviewee.

Since then, he has never had winds in his pockets and no threat of losing everything. “I always had two or three businesses due to holy peace. If one is bad, the other is stretched. “

The businessman laughs that he was even ashamed to go to the post office to withdraw money: “Retirees are deducted 60 or 80 rubles, and for me, a full suitcase. I reached an agreement with the postman, I gave her a hundred rubles and she used to close the apartment. Then calmly, without strange eyes, I took my money. “

I didn’t know where to put the money

Š. Davainis does not hide the fact that some of the money earned during the Soviet era was spent. There was such a stage: there was money, there were many friends. And for others they bought farms and antiques.

“During the Soviet era, buying farms was allowed for a couple of years. I had the status of popular teacher and that gave me benefits. But I had to pay everyone: the president of the collective farm, who gave the permission, and Others. But you know, you can only sit in a chair with a butt. So I sold part of the farms. I have one in Dubingiai and it’s enough for me, “said one of the first Lithuanian entrepreneurs.

Not knowing where to put the money, Š. Davainis also allowed them to buy antiques.

“My furniture was bought from antiques in Saint Petersburg. What am I not picking up? Watches, coins, jewelry. There was a time when I had accumulated over a thousand icons. Give many of them away. It’s great fun to donate when you’re good to friends. The third or fourth hour comes and he says: “I am afraid to go home, my wife will give me a coat.” I say, “Take the icon, give it to him.” It was justified, “admits the interlocutor.

Amber is different

Almost every day, an entrepreneur who takes amber with his own hands has crossed the limits of jewelry making.

Here is a unique massage table created by him.

It was then that the idea of ​​an amber sauna was born.

“I realized that the entire complex must be done. A decade has already begun, as I have, and no country has yet implemented an amber spa project. I visited Thailand where the procedures cost $ 500 and there was nothing special there. We had the idea to create an amber SPA complex in the Baltic States, “says the author of the idea of ​​amber baths.

However, the only one determined to implement Š. Davainis’ idea was the Birštonas “Eglė” sanatorium:

“People grow old, diseases occur, so a spa of this type would greatly contribute to their health. I received an offer from the French to continue working, but investment is our business. Therefore, I no longer developed these ideas. I have a pilot model in my house, so anyone interested can visit, see and take advantage. “

“Amber” music

Therefore, the production of amber baths for the interlocutor is already in the past. Done and put the point. Then a new idea came on: he created musical instruments inlaid with amber.

Some time ago, a presentation was made at the Palace of the Rulers. These instruments were taken by professional musicians: Vytautas Mikeliūnas String Quartet.

“I don’t believe the violin because it was invented a long time ago. And here the world of amber inlaid instruments has never seen before.

As a famous lady asked, who am I doing this to, it remains to say that I have no answer to a stupid question. Why is humanity fighting for progress? Live better, have more diversity. After all, after many years, there will be no supporters of those medinukai ”, Š. Davainis

The entrepreneur’s latest passion is amber inlaid watches. And the patent, design and trademark are all Š. Invented by Davain. Only the watch mechanism is Japanese.

“Amber emits succinic acid, which is useful to humans. Also, let’s not forget the placebo effect. One may believe that the amber-encrusted zodiac sign will give it success, the other, Vytis, the third, named after a be loved or loved, “says the businessman, turning his last” baby “in his hands.

He hopes that these watches will find their buyer not only in Lithuania, but also abroad. He had high hopes for the Amber Trip exhibition organized by Litexpo, but the threat of the coronavirus had to forget those plans.

Lithuania – unopposed

Looking at the thirties of Lithuanian independence and the free market, the businessman concludes that those who shared and shared won during the privatization. And those who managed to whip the dividers.

“In the days of investment checks, those who knew what to do with them and how to get them out of the ignorant won,” said the businessman. – In the long run, I realized that the Lithuanian government is bad. He still doesn’t know how to distribute the collected taxes or solve other troublesome problems. “

He declares that he himself once strove for all to be honest, determined, honest, free from blemishes, to follow the Ten Commandments of God:

“It just caught our attention then. So, at least, let’s live our lives honestly. Now the stack pretends to be perfect, it takes power and then shares. The academic Eduardas Vilkas used to say that it is a management based on the principle of” chaos “(gangs). And it still exists to this day”, – the owner of the company “Amber” and the museum of amber Š. Davainis

According to him, there is no opposition in Lithuania. The young men left, leaving only the older “latent” retirees, who can only swell. It is easy to subtract from them. And the active mass is gone.

“We are a nation that does not want to criticize ourselves or others. Oh, you better go. The eyes do not see and well. But then there is no progress. Because the cape that could do it comes out of Lithuania. Soon we will not have Lithuania, but a “bomžatnyka”. I will ride strangers and host here “, – Š. Davainis

However, an entrepreneur who visits the workshop every day and creates miracles from amber ensures that all life is theater, humor and that you have to see it that way. In his words, if we walk with scabies on our heads all the time, nobody will be better.