Luumäki UFO bar draws a 32,000-euro top bid

The auction of the former UFO Bar café in Luumäki ended on Wednesday with a top bid of 32,000 euros, Yle reported. The bid for the building, which stands beside Highway 6, was submitted five minutes before the auction closed.

The building is one of 20 Venturo houses designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen and made in the 1970s. The Luumäki building housed a café until the 1980s and has since stood unused. It still contains much of its original 1970s furniture, along with other assorted items.

Harri Boman, who handled the sale, said inquiries had come from abroad, including New Zealand and Austria. One person was interested in continuing the café business, while another considered buying the building as a holiday cottage. Boman did not say whether the top bidder was from outside Finland.

The next step is to contact the estate administrator and clarify the sale and permit matters, Boman said. The auction listing described the building as requiring a complete renovation. It has visible moisture and rot damage, and no condition inspection has been carried out.

The building is being sold to be moved elsewhere. Finland’s Heritage Agency also requires the buyer to provide details of the restoration and planned future use. Boman said repairs would cost at least tens of thousands of euros.