Shopping

Image by Lilu Nissinen-Turja

Eeva Kanervas antique bookshop is the mother of all the eccentric little shops in the Punavuori district. Here you can find the book you have been looking for for ages or an old birthday card that’s just right for a good friend. Or perhaps you’d like to remember someone with a magazine or newspaper from the year they were born? Not to talk about all the funny, pretty, astonishing bric-a-brac that people bring here to be sold in an atmosphere worthy of their beloved stuff. On a lucky day you could even find here a valuable old print or a painting if you look closely enough.

The place is strictly cash only, as Eeva doesn’t really believe in credit cards. Or in the Internet and other modern foolishness either, for that matter. But what she believes in is people, books and art. She has always a friendly word for everybody, knows everybody by name and family history and even the neighbourhood dogs know that this is the place to come to, if you need a pat on the head or perhaps even some little treat if you’re really lucky.

Eeva also sells flowers (!) in her book shop during winter time, in the summer she takes her flower operation to the Fredan tori. Fresh, beautiful flowers, straight from Finnish farmers!

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Antikvariaatti Kanerva | Shopping | Postcard € 0.10
Albertinkatu 12 | South
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 18:00 (sometimes also on Sat)

Image by Lilu Nissinen-Turja

The Punavuori district is an Eldorado for all us music lovers who still want to buy our music as real records, CD:s, vinyls, new, second hand etc. In Viiskulma (Five Corners) there is a cluster of 5-7 record shops within just a few meters from each other. Each shop has its own distinct profile, and what’s nice about them is, that they don’t consider each other as rivals but colleagues. If one of them doesn’t have the record you’re looking for, they tell you which one of the others might have it. So if you find one of these shops, you know you don’t have to walk far to find the rest of them.

Popparienkeli at Fredrikinkatu 12 specializes in rock, pop, heavy, soul, funk, punk, you name it. Both new and used CD:s.

On the other side of the street is one of the oldest record shops in Helsinki, Digelius Music with world music and jazz, even classical. Both new and used CD:s and vinyls.

And just around the corner from here you’ll find Eronen with a nice selection of somewhat hotter sounds like Jamaican, Cuban, African, salsa, soul, reggae etc.

You might also want to visit Lifesaver Shop and browse their selection of soul, jazz, funk, house, disco, hip hop, electro…

And – if you are looking for a good record player, visit A.H. Records, just two steps from Popparienkeli. They also have a nice selection of old records in vinyl.

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Viiskulma | Shopping | Used CD’s from € 1.00
Fredrikinkatu 12 | South | +3589661638
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

Image by Lilu Nissinen-Turja

Punavuori district has the absolutely best shops for second hand and vintage clothes in town, all situated close to each other in a very small area. There are at least 5-6 shops in the block between Fredrikinkatu and Albertinkatu.

Kaunis Veera is the oldest second hand shop in Finland, established 1973. It is on the corner of Albertinkatu and Merimiehenkatu. They have a wide range of second hand clothes, both formal and casual, scarves, handbags, shoes, some costume jewellery. There’s also a rack for us more ‘traditionally built’ ladies.The clothes are all clean and in good condition and the prices are very affordable.

When you walk five minutes from Kaunis Veera, at Fredrikinkatu just before the corner of Fredan Tori there is a new, elegant vintage & lifestyle shop called SomaOma that sells selected old and new clothes and even some furniture.

Next door, on the corner of Fredan tori is Ruuturouva, a classic that sells both modern and vintage clothes, handbags and shoes. Lots of accessories like sunglasses, jewelery, feather boas etc. Ruuturouva is also the shop to visit when you want to buy second hand furs and Finnish national costumes.

On the other side of the street lies Amado Second Hand Shop, an oasis for high fashion second hand clothes. This is the place to go to for well known designer labels in both clothes and accessories. The owner, Rita, is passionate about shoes and handbags – and it shows! She also has a huge selection of costume jewelery.

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Kaunis Veera | Shopping | Mink fur coat € 500
Albertinkatu 10 | South | +35896224091
Mon – Tue 11:00 – 18:00, Wed – Thu 11:00 – 17:00, Sat 11:00 – 15:00

Image by Lilu Nissinen-Turja

Store 33 sells lots of great stuff for amazingly cheap prices for the whole family, men, women and children. Whether you are looking for clothes, shoes, leather jackets, scarves, handbags, hats, sports gear – you name it, they’ve got it.

The Store 33 selection varies from day to day, so you just have to come and look what’s in today! And look closely, you can find well known brands like Fila, Le Coc Sportif, Paul Frank etc. here cheaper than anywhere else in the city. I just bought a great pair of shoes for €25!

The owner, Rahil, is extremely helpful and friendly and so is his mother, who sometimes helps her son in the shop. If they don’t have something right away, they are likely to suggest that they can order it for your next visit.

The shop is situated in the Punavuori in the Design District, but it’s definitely not stylish or trendy like most of the other shops on the area, because it’s so small and absolutely crammed with stuff from floor to ceiling, But if you are looking for a bargain, Store33 is the place to visit! And if you show your Spotted by Locals iPhone app for this store, Rahill will give you 30% off from everything you buy!

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Store 33 | Shopping | Leather coats from € 90
Fredrikinkatu 33 | South | +358466178331
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 17:00, Sat 11:00 – 15:00

Image by Lilu Nissinen-Turja

Have you been wondering where to buy the tassels for your burlesque outfit? Well, wonder no more! Punavuoren Putiikki in the Punavuori district is a wonderful little boutique where you’ll find the tassels and a lot of other cool stuff that you wont find anywhere else. The atmosphere in the shop is of a forgotten paradise and old-fashioned glamour.

Punavuoren Putiikki sells hand made hats and other head gear, dresses and pants in natural materials, modern jewelery, made-to-measure corsets, glamorous old fashioned swimwear and luxury lingerie, all designed and produced in Finland. Materials are mostly silk and other natural fabrics, hand made by designers Tyra Therman and Hanna Haavikko. The swimsuits and bikinis come in a wide range of sizes and they can also be made to measure to ensure a perfect fit for any size.

Miranda Lingerie and Burlesque swimwear take you back to the good old days when women were still women, not clones of skinny super models. Think pin-up girls and Rita Hayworth and the 50′s with Doris Day singing in the background and you’ll get the idea.

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Punavuoren putiikki | Shopping | Burlesque tassels € 25
Punavuorenkatu 1 | South | +358505327094
Tue – Fri 11:00 – 18:00, Sat 12:00 – 18:00