The People Behind Mathildedal – Part 2
Boutiques
The village of Mathildedal grew around the ironworks founded by entrepreneur Viktor Bremer in 1852. By the end of the 19th century, the works produced tools and machinery, while ships from around the world called at the harbour.
Entrepreneurship has always been at the heart of the village, and it still is today. Mathildedal is home to a community of courageous, creative and enterprising people.
In this series, we introduce the entrepreneurs who are members of the Mathildedal Entrepreneurs’ Association and the businesses they have built. This time, we’re taking a look inside some of the village’s boutiques and independent shops.
Elina Talvitie
For the fifth summer in a row, Elina Talvitie is running Vinttipuoti together with Irmeli Nurminen and Liisa Särmäntö. The shop brings together unique products made by more than 20 local and independent craftspeople.
What keeps you excited about what you do, year after year?
“I come from a family of shopkeepers, so trading is in my blood. I could hardly stay away from the shop at all! Mathildedal is a wonderful place to run a business. The setting and the community are both lovely.
What is the first thing customers fall in love with?
“When customers climb the stairs up to our attic shop, the first thing they usually say is, ‘What a wonderful smell!’ Then they look around and say, ‘What a lovely, spacious place.’ After that, they start admiring the products. International visitors in particular are often delighted. There’s something about genuine craftsmanship that speaks to people.”
Hely Sainio-Lehtovirta
Hely Sainio-Lehtovirta is one of the entrepreneurs behind Matilda Summer Shop. The shared shop, run by five entrepreneurs, has been part of Mathildedal for two years. It offers homeware, children’s clothing, yarn, craft supplies, underwear and African handicrafts, among other things.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as an entrepreneur so far?
“There’s strength in collaboration! We all run our own businesses during the winter, and in spring we agree on the summer shop’s opening schedule and divide the shifts between us.”
What makes Mathildedal a special place to run a shop?
“The setting, the customers and the people who visit the village. They’re always in a good mood and in holiday mode, more relaxed than the customers who visit our businesses in the city. People are delighted when they discover something unexpected in an unexpected setting.”
Kai Heiskari
Kai Heiskari is a second-generation brush maker who creates ecological brushes and baskets by hand. His Kaarnalaiva shop is located in the old transformer building of Mathildedal’s former power station.
What makes working with your hands special to you?
“I learned to make brushes as a child, following in my father’s footsteps. I’ve never done anything else. All the children in our family made brushes. And yet I still find every single brush interesting to make.”
Is there something you’d still like to try or develop?
“If I had the time, I’d make nothing but what we call kraakkuluudat. They’re outdoor brooms made from the roots of crowberry plants that grow in bogs. They’re easy to make, but collecting and cleaning the material is very labour-intensive.”
Joonas ja Taija Jokilehto
Joonas and Taija Jokilehto run two businesses in Mathildedal: Puhti, a local food shop selling products from producers in the surrounding area, and an ice cream kiosk serving their own Vuorovetten ice cream.
If your business were an emotion or a season, what would it be?
Joonas: “Summer, because summer is light-hearted and comes with ice cream and that special summer feeling.”
What’s one moment at work that always feels like a success?
Taija: “When a customer is happy and satisfied.”
Lähiruokapuoti Puhti
Vuorovetten Kioski
Mathildedal Village Brewery
Mathildedal Village Brewery has been part of village life for more than ten years and is owned by a group of local residents. Its beers have performed well in national competitions, with its classic Teijo IPA, for example, being named Finland’s best IPA of 2024.
The brewery’s Beer Shop, located next to the brewery, stocks the full range of beers. Brewery tours are also available.
How and why did the Village Brewery come about?
“The idea for the brewery was born around the benches of the village sauna. Local beer enthusiasts wanted to establish a small brewery in Mathildedal that would produce high-quality local beers and create memorable beer experiences.”
What beer would you recommend to someone trying the brewery’s products for the first time – and why?
“I’d recommend tasting the beers together with friends. There’s a nice variety of styles and a broad range of flavours across different categories. You can taste the local character and craftsmanship in the beers, and there’s something for more discerning palates too.”
Elmo Blomqvist, one of the brewery’s shareholders
Kaarina Pyysiäinen
For the past three summers, Kaarina Pyysiäinen has run her Dock Helsinki boutique upstairs from the Village Brewery. The shop sells homeware, accessories, bags and toys.
Pyysiäinen’s story is similar to that of many people who come to Mathildedal: she first came to the village for work, but it soon became much more than a workplace. Today, she also has a holiday home in the village.
What makes Mathildedal special to you?
“The surrounding nature, the village’s services and the people. Here, I’m able to properly switch off from work in a way I can’t in the Helsinki metropolitan area.”
What small everyday thing brings you the most joy at work?
“Definitely the customer interactions. I have such lovely customers. Some of my customers from my Helsinki shop also come here. People have time here; nobody arrives in a rush.”
Maija Nuppula ja Miina Launiainen
Maija Nuppula and Miina Launiainen became business partners at the beginning of 2026, when they founded Aate Clothing, taking over from Second Chance, which Maija had run independently for many years.
The clothes are designed and made entirely in Finland and are sold both at their bricks-and-mortar shop in Mathildedal and through their online store.
What makes your products distinctly yours?
Maija: “Our own unique designs, recognisable, high-quality knits made in Finland, and patterns that we draw ourselves and now print using the less commonly used flatbed printing technique. Our clothing also features lovely feminine cuts, and we have several classic pieces in our collections.”
What’s been the biggest surprise about being an entrepreneur?
Miina: “I knew there would be a lot of work. That wasn’t a surprise. But perhaps the level of dedication was. Just how many things there are that I want to do, and how difficult it is to stop when I could keep going.”
Sini Honkala ja Leena Rajala
You could say that Sini Honkala and Leena Rajala are the reason Mathildedal is known for its alpacas.
Sini fell in love with alpacas while living in the United States and brought the first alpacas to Finland from Chile. When she realised that nobody in Finland knew how to spin alpaca wool, she decided to establish Finland’s only alpaca wool mill together with her friend Leena.
Today, Ruukin Kehräämö focuses on producing high-quality Roya alpaca clothing, while Honkala and Rajala are recognised as leading alpaca experts in Finland.
How does Mathildedal show up in your products?
Leena: “The rustic character of Mathildedal and the old ironworks can be seen in the colours and shapes of our products. The alpaca’s natural shades and timeless forms feel at home here, much like the beautiful old buildings and their colours, which fit so naturally into the landscape and the changing seasons. It’s also important to us that our clothes are suited to being worn in this environment – in nature and by the sea.”
What does it mean to work in a place like Mathildedal?
Sini: “The surroundings provide a counterbalance to work. At the same time, they’re also a source of inspiration that influences both our work and our lives more broadly.
“We also have a close-knit community of entrepreneurs here, and we collaborate a lot. That makes a big difference.”