Stockman | How would Stockmann’s department store get a new rise? The townspeople can no longer find a good way

Stockmann said on Monday that it was exploring options for its department store business. According to the group, one option could be possible ownership changes. At the same time, Stockmann is considering changing the group’s name to Lindex Group.

Judging by everything, the iconic department store is no longer living its glory days. In 2020, the company applied for restructuring.

How could Stockmann’s department store in the center of Helsinki be revived? HS asked about it from the townspeople who moved around the Stockmann department store on Monday.

The department store’s problems spoke volumes, but no simple solution to the problems could be found.

Over 30 years of shopping at Stockmann’s department store in the center of Helsinki Iia Seesjärvi cannot say what kind of changes should be made in the department store in order to increase the number of customers in the department store.

Seesjärvi says he likes going to the department store. In his opinion, the quality of the products sold in the department store is good.

“There is plenty of choice in the clothing department,” says Seesjärvi.

Instead, Seesjärvi would like a little improvement in the quality of the service.

“I would like a little empathy from the staff. The staff has become cooler,” says Seesjärvi.

Kukka-Maria Nummi has sadly watched the department store go downhill.

“Stockmann used to be a place where you went when you needed something. Stockmann reformed into a merchant department store too late. Now almost everything in the department store should be changed.”

In Numme’s opinion, the department store’s selections do not meet the customers’ needs. Some time ago, Nummi would have liked to buy himself a pull cart, but Stockmann couldn’t find one.

“The department store has fallen into complacency. Stockmann imagines that he knows what the customers think,” Nummi criticizes.

In Numme’s opinion, in addition to the service offering, Stockmann’s decline has been influenced by the fact that it is now more expensive just to get around the city center by public transport.

“The attractiveness of the department store is also related to the reduction of movement. Moving in the center is now more expensive, since the a-zone was removed from the ticket system. There are cyclists downtown, but they don’t shop. You don’t see shopping bags on the handlebars of the bike,” says Nummi, who lives in the inner city.

Nummi no longer goes shopping at Stockmann, but says that she makes her purchases at the shopping center Tripla or online.

From Since 1965, has done business in Stockmann’s department store Seppo Uronen he also can’t say how to make the department store more attractive again.

“If only you knew when the number of customers in the department store would increase. In my opinion, the quality of the department store’s service and products is unchanged.”

Uronen also believes that the department store’s decline is partly due to the fact that it is quieter in the center.

“The number of visitors to the center is dwindling, and shopping is done in markets.”

Under and Akke Jakko were going, according to their own words, to “spin” Stockmann. They also can’t say how to get the department store up and running again.

According to the brothers, the department store does not appeal to young customers.

“Stockmann is a store for older people, marimekko mummas. Stockmann tries to distinguish itself with quality and service”, says Akke Jakko.

“The price level of the department store is too high”, adds Allu Jakko.