Headed by Noora Hautakangas (pictured) and Eero Ukkonen, Relove’s unique blend of recycling and café cultures has already proven popular in multiple locations in Finland. Relove
By guest author James O’Sullivan from GOOD NEWS FINLAND
April 24, 2023
Hot on the heels of passengers selecting Helsinki Airport as Northern Europe’s best, the airport has announced a world-first: a second-hand concept store is set to open there in the autumn.
Local family firm Relove has teamed up with the Finnish airport company Finavia to bring its unique second-hand concept store to Helsinki Airport. The store combines recycling and cafe cultures, offering high-quality second-hand clothing and accessories along with food and beverages.
The concept has already proven popular in Finland, with Relove operating three second-hand shops and cafes in Helsinki and one in Tampere.
“We will bring an enjoyable oasis to Helsinki Airport, where second-hand shop and café services are intertwined in a fantastic way that has never been seen before in an airport environment,” said Relove’s entrepreneur couple Noora Hautakangas and Eero Ukkonen, in a joint statement.
Hautakangas also hinted that the airport location will also stock products from Finnish high-quality and responsible pop-up shops.
The announcement follows the travel industry’s general trend towards a more sustainable future in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The promise of something new
Relove’s launch in the former departures hall of Helsinki Airport in the autumn of this year, coinciding with the completion of the airport’s one-billion-euro refurbishmentit has undergone over the past decade.
“We are proud that the revamped Helsinki Airport suits passengers’ preferences and continuously offers something new. This is something that we have worked hard to achieve,” said Nora Immonen, Finavia’s VP and Director of the Commercial Services Business Unit at Helsinki Airport.
“Helsinki Airport recently won an award for being the best airport in Europe in its size category, which is a great achievement and an indication that our customers are happy with the end result of our work,” Immonen added.
In addition, the airport was named the best airport in Northern Europe in a global airport customer satisfaction survey conducted by Skytrax. It was also bestowed the honour in 2018. In addition, passengers also voted Helsinki Airport as the cleanest airport in Europe.