Last traditional shoe store in Rovaniemi, Finland to close after 43 years of operation
Long-time shoe store owner, Tapani Haavikko, is closing his shoe store in the centre of Rovaniemi, Finland, after 43 years of operation. It is reportedly the last locally owned traditional brick-and-mortar shoe store in Rovaniemi.
Haavikko, who is 60 years old, is less than two years away from retirement age, but he says he can’t continue. “Even if you work seven days a week, as I have, you don’t get anything for yourself,” he says. Haavikko plans to register as an unemployed job seeker. He’s unsure how he’ll survive until he can claim his pension, but he insists he won’t save on his dog’s food. “I can afford to lose weight,” he says.
Haavikko hopes to sell all his shoes by the end of August. He says sales have been declining in recent years, but he hopes the discounted prices will help him pay off some bills.
The entrepreneur hasn’t taken a holiday or day off in ten years. He hopes to take some time to relax, go fishing, and walk his dog once the store closes. “And I might even sleep in for once,” he says.
Haavikko announced the store’s closure and final sale on social media on Tuesday. His phone started ringing almost immediately, and several people expressed interest in buying the store.
Haavikko’s father founded the shoe store in 1981. Haavikko junior joined the business then and took over in 1995. At its peak, the business had three stores in Rovaniemi and several employees.
In recent years, Haavikko has barely managed to employ himself. He blames the decline on a shift in consumer behaviour, with customers increasingly buying their shoes from supermarkets and online. “People now buy cheap €20-30 sneakers and wear them even to parties,” he says.
One of Haavikko’s loyal customers, Helena Lahtinen, expresses her disappointment at the closure. “I have such small feet, size 35 or 36. It’s a shame the store is closing, but it’s understandable if business is slow. I guess I’ll have to go to Helsinki to buy shoes now,” she says.