Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Design Special – Finnish Art, Craft & Design
Sweet and colourful “Originally, it was my late mother’s idea to start up a business together,” says Riikka Denby-Pettersson of the beginning of the journey. Today, she runs the shop on her own with the help of two shop assistants. By Mari Koskinen | Photos: Sami Saarenheimo
On route 5 through the scenic Finnish Lakeland, you can find Riikka-Piikka shop, a beautiful place to shop for Christmas gifts, toys, delicacies and a variety of craft materials for your own hand-made gifts. The shop is also famous for its unique XLsized knitted pieces, like an old Ferguson, totally covered in knitting. The local knitting group, which meets regularly at the shop, is behind the famous projects. “Right from the start, I wanted to include yarns in our selection,” says DenbyPettersson. “Customers travelling to their holiday destinations are often inspired by the colourful and soft yarns, and on their way back they often make a second stop at Riikka-Piikka to show what they have created from the yarn,” she smiles. “It is
great to share these moments with the customers.” She continues: “We have many organic and locally produced products. It is important for me to know where and how the products have been made.” The shop is open daily, 10am to 6pm, closed only on Christmas Day. Riikka-Piikka also has an online shop. “Our website and online shop are now also available in English, and we add new products all the time,” Denby-Pettersson adds. “As a small business, we can be flexible and listen to our customers to fulfil their wishes.” Web: www.riikkapiikka.fi Facebook: riikkapiikka
Issue 119 | December 2018 | 43