A record number of restaurants are for sale in Helsinki. One of them is Aino, who quit after just under three years at the Mannerheimintie property.
Restaurant Aino closed its doors at Mannerheimintie 56 before Christmas. After moving from Pohjoisesplanadi in 2020, Aino managed to work opposite the National Opera for only two years.
Before, the Ainoa Mannerheimintie space housed the restaurant Lyon, which had been operating for almost 55 years since 1966. Extremely few, if any, restaurants that are being established today can live up to the age of a classic like Lyon. On the contrary, there are plenty of restaurants for sale in Helsinki right now.
Aino's brands were “Finnish cuisine”, seasonal dishes and microbrewery beers. Domesticity was thought to fit best in the armpit of the National Opera and the National Museum.
“We were dependent on Opera. Our customers were Opera visitors and tourists. First there was the corona pandemic, and then the Opera was on tour during the renovation”, chairman of the board Carita Antell Marcante oy, which owns Aino, lists problems.
The renovation continued for four months, from the beginning of May to the end of August 2023. During that time, the Opera House was closed and opera lovers were away.
it is restaurants were also plagued by staff shortages. Marcante oy also runs restaurants in Korkeasaari.
The last nail in the restaurant's coffin was the renovation of Mannerheimintie. The work started in March of last year on the section between Postikatu and Runeberginkatu, after which the renovation will move to between Runeberginkatu and Reoiholakatu.
Located at the meeting point of the renovation phases, Aino actually suffered from both.
“There were many reasons for quitting: a change of business location, then Korona and Oopera being closed, and then the Mannerheimintie re-opening. The recession was the final reason,” Carita Antell lists.
“We didn't bother bothering ourselves with it anymore [Ainolla].”
In principle Aino's location at the intersection of two of Helsinki's three main thoroughfares, Mannerheimintie, Runeberginkatu and Helsinginkatu, is excellent. After all, Lyon's more than 50 years of operation is proof of that.
Restaurant Aino's business with machines and equipment is for sale for 110,000 euros. Have the interviewers already had water in the language, Carita Antell?
“No. Helsinki is full of empty restaurants.”
Restaurant Aino inside in 2020.
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