HS Helsinki What is happening in the liquor trade, around which a living space costs more than 8,000 euros? Konkarimykja talks about everyday life in Alko’s 90-year-old classic store

Alko turns 90 in the week beginning April 4th.

Alko’s stores first opened their doors on April 5, 1932, after the expiration of the Prohibition Act at ten o’clock. At that time, 48 stores were opened all over Finland.

There is not a single Alko store in the Helsinki metropolitan area or in the whole of Finland that has been in exactly the same premises for 90 years.

Alko has always been on the outskirts of Narinkkatori in the center of Kamppi. Its location has changed only slightly over the years. Now the store named Arkadia Alko is on the corner of Salomonkatu and Paasikivenaukio. Arkadian Alko has been operating on the current property since 1972.

Katja Sipi has worked at Arkadian Alko since 2009.

Sipi says that Arkadia Alko’s customer base is on the edge, as in other Alkos – despite the fact that the prices of the surrounding apartments are extremely expensive on a Finnish scale. According to Kiinteistömaailma, Kamppi’s average prices per square meter exceeded 8,000 euros last year.

Some customers also buy a bottle of liqueur or three-liter tap wine at Arkadia Alko, for example.

However, there are some special features.

“The customer base shows hobbies. The customer may be looking for a wine containing a particular grape or may have a good knowledge of whiskeys. Such customers may stay longer and consider their choice carefully. The customer may also have in mind a food recipe for which he is looking for a suitable wine for a food drink. ”

Alko’s Service Director Tatu Vanninen confirms Sip’s observation. According to him, Arkadian Alko has the highest proportion of beverage enthusiasts in terms of customer base when comparing Alko’s stores.

In addition to wines, beers do well in Arkadian Alko.

“Europeans buy a lot of wines. There is also a lot of time spent on beer shelves, customers are often looking for novelties. Champagne and sparkling wine are sold a lot. You may buy whiskey or rum for the anniversary party, ”Sipi lists.

The clientele is also aware.

“Young people often want to make a green choice and buy biodynamic wine. Young people are also interested to know if a product is vegan. ”

Biodynamic wine means wine in which no chemical fertilizers or pesticides have been used on the vineyards.

Corona exceptional circumstances have also affected customers’ purchases.

“When restaurants were closed during the pandemic, more liqueurs were sold. Many wanted to make mixed drinks at home for themselves when they couldn’t be enjoyed in a restaurant. When it was not possible to travel abroad, Greek wine might be bought to create a foreign atmosphere, ”says Sipi.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could also affect customers’ buying habits.

“Ukrainian products would certainly be sold more. However, there is only one Ukrainian product in the store, flavored vodka. ”

Arkadian Alko is in the middle of Helsinki, and the store also attracts tourists.

“Foreign tourists visit the store a lot. Domestic tourists also shop at the store. One customer said that he had come from Rovaniemi to visit Arkadia Alko. The rest of the traveling party had reportedly gone to visit the church in Temppeliaukio, ”says Sipi.

Service Director According to Tatu Vanninen, Arkadian Alko’s sales in euros in 2021 ranked in tenth place among Alko’s stores in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Nationwide, Arkadian Alko’s sales were close to the top 20 last year when comparing all stores.

“Before Korona, Arkadian Alko’s customer flows were slightly higher. Customer flows decreased as people stayed telecommuting and fewer people now move downtown. Alko’s customer numbers along the ring road, on the other hand, increased. ”

Arkadian Alko has a wider selection than average. There are 3,300 products on sale in the store, compared to an average of 1,600 in Alko’s store. Every month, part of the selection changes in the Arkadia store.

“By product group, Arkadian Alko sells a lot of champagne. Sales of red and white quality wines are also high. The average price of a purchase is high. We want to offer an expert service, but our goal is not to sell as much alcohol as possible, ”says Vanninen.

The share of non-alcoholic beverages in sales in liters in the Arkadia store is about two per cent, while the corresponding figure for the entire Helsinki metropolitan area is 0.9 per cent. Nationwide, non-alcoholics account for about 0.8 percent of liter sales.

There are several other Alko stores near Arkadia Alko: in Kamppi Center, below Sokos, in connection with Stockmann and in Citycenter.

According to Vanninen, the stores do not compete with each other, but complement each other.

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