Young couple takes over grocery store on Lyø

A young couple has moved to Lyø, a small Danish island with about 100 residents, to run its grocery store and start a new life, DR reports.

A year ago, Lærke Heegaard and Matias Tolstrup had never visited Lyø or the South Funen Archipelago. They have now left behind their jobs, home, friends and family nearby to settle on the island with their son.

Neither had worked as a shopkeeper before, and they had not originally planned to move to Funen. But they were drawn to Lyø by its natural surroundings, sense of community and the opportunity to sell their crafts.

During their first season, the couple has introduced more organic products and sourdough to the store.

Island residents have welcomed the new shopkeepers with relief and enthusiasm. In the past, members of the Lyø Shopkeepers’ Association had taken turns staffing the checkout, delivering bread to the harbour and getting up early to bake.

“We had to run it ourselves because we did not dare close the shop. It would never have reopened, because people would have got used to shopping in Faaborg,” said Ulla Jeppesen, treasurer of the Lyø Shopkeepers’ Association.

The association interviewed several candidates before choosing Heegaard and Tolstrup. The right fit was important because the shopkeepers needed to thrive on the island and get along with its residents, Jeppesen said.

For Heegaard, the job means becoming part of the community. The shop is a place where residents can buy milk and medicine, as well as share their concerns and joys.

“The biggest difference is that we have a role in the community. We matter to people, and they come in and share their sorrows and joys in a fairly old-fashioned way,” she said.

Rasmus Andersen, chair of the residents’ association, said the shop was essential for both permanent settlement and tourism. Lyø receives about 50,000 tourists, he said, and visitors need somewhere to shop.

Despite the hard work of their first season, the couple does not plan to give up. Heegaard said they expected to remain on Lyø for at least another five to 10 years, while considering whether to continue as shopkeepers or focus more on their crafts.

The ferry from Faaborg to Lyø takes just over half an hour.