{"id":114049,"date":"2025-09-04T13:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/114049\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T13:26:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:26:13","slug":"the-best-bookshops-in-lakeland-finland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/114049\/","title":{"rendered":"The best bookshops in Lakeland Finland"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this bookshop guide, Roseanna Avento takes us on a tour of her favourite bookshops in the region of Lakeland Finland. If you know a city with great spots for book lovers, you can find information about how to contribute to our global bookshop guide series<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0end of this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fleur Adcock\u2019s 2014 poem \u201cThe Bookshop\u201d<\/a> says: \u201cWe lost sight of each other and \/ they disappeared \u2013 or, as it seemed to them, \/ I disappeared.\u201d Such is the situation Finland finds itself in: a country that\u2019s losing its bookshops. The Finnish Booksellers\u2019 Association estimates that almost 300 bookshops have vanished over the last 25 years. It\u2019s a curious irony for a nation where over 20 million books are sold each year, with each Finn reading around 16 of them annually. \u00a0Despite this trend, some gems remain standing strong. Let\u2019s take a virtual journey to see what\u2019s on offer.<\/p>\n

Rosebud Bookshop, Kuopio
\n\"\"R\u00f6n\u00f6 Island on Lake Kallavesi, Kuopio, Finland \u00a9 kallerna via Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0<\/p>\n

Kuopio, nestled in Finland\u2019s Northern Savo province, is a major cultural and educational city with a population close to 130,000 and marks its 250 anniversary this year. Kuopio is surrounded by Lake Kallavesi and boasts one of the oldest Finnish forests, and one of the country\u2019s first protected nature reserves, Puijo. Kuopio city, where nature and culture intertwine seamlessly, is home to a vibrant cultural and literary scene. One cannot mention Kuopio without talking about Minna Canth<\/a>, one of Finland\u2019s most celebrated literary figures. She was a playwright, novelist and social activist and the first woman to receive her own Finnish flag day (19 March), also deemed Equality Day, honouring her contribution to women\u2019s rights and social justice. A short walk from her old home \u201cKanttila\u201d, brings you to the Tori, the bustling marketplace and beating heart of any Finnish town, and just a stone\u2019s through away, stands the Rosebud Bookshop<\/a>. Its staff exemplify a true Savo sensibility: humour and down-to-earth diplomacy, where the onus of understanding is on the listener.<\/p>\n

\"\"The interior of Rosebud \u00a9 Roseanna Avento<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a cosy joint, interestingly run by a cooperative whose seven members include both culture enthusiasts and seasoned professionals: library experts, photographers, visual artists, a designer and a translator. Rosebud\u2019s slogan \u201cMaailma ei ole valmis. Tarvitaan enemm\u00e4n kirjoja\u201d (The world is not ready. We need more books) demonstrates their strong commitment to serving readers. Kuopio\u2019s Rosebud is a sister to five other Rosebuds in Helsinki and one in Oulu, and together they carry over 63,000 book titles and films on DVD \u2013 Finland\u2019s largest selection. Rosebud is a haven for readers seeking unique literature. They carry works from independent and small publishing houses, as well as rare and unique publications in Finnish and Swedish, a decent English collection and a strong second-hand book section. They can order what they don\u2019t have on shelf, too. Rosebud\u2019s venues are vibrant cultural spaces, where people come together for author talks, exhibitions and literary events.<\/p>\n

Muusan Kirjakauppa, Varkaus<\/p>\n

An hour\u2019s drive south of Kuopio lies Varkaus, a modest town, shaped by nearly three centuries of industrial development. Its growth centered around a paper mill established in the late 1800s by the A. Ahlstr\u00f6m company, which evolved into one of Finland\u2019s most prominent industrial powerhouses. Today, the mill is part of the company Stora Enso and has transformed its operations from paper production to producing renewable packaging material and packaging board. With its location close to the paper mill, Varkaus was a natural location for printing operations of newspapers. Paper reels from the paper mill were transported directly to the presses via a railway track connecting the paper mill and the printing plant. The printing plant is still operational, though modernised, and serves the media company Keskisuomalainen Oyj, which incidentally also owns 80 different newspapers including the newspaper Keskisuomalainen, which is the oldest Finnish language newspaper still in circulation.<\/p>\n

\"\"The entrance to Muusan Kirjakauppa \u00a9 Muusan Kirjakauppa via Facebook\/Meta<\/p>\n

Not too far from the paper mill and printing plant, is Muusan Kirjakauppa<\/a> (Muusa\u2019s Bookshop), \u00a0an independent store with a warm and distinctive charm that veers towards the magical. Amid the seemingly haphazard, narrow, teetering piles of old and new books (mostly Finnish titles) going from floor to ceiling, you\u2019ll be sure to find an eclectic selection of trinkets, gift items and cards. The proprietor Eija P\u00f6ll\u00e4nen is one of the friendliest and chattiest people you\u2019ll meet, and she\u2019ll find anything you are looking for in a jiffy. You can\u2019t hurry in Muusa; the clocks forget to tick as you make your picks.<\/p>\n

Vinha Bookshop, Ruovesi<\/p>\n

About three hours\u2019 drive west of Varkaus, you will find Ruovesi, a small and tranquil municipality, in the region called the \u201cHeart of Finland\u201d. Ruovesi is known for its rich wilderness, which provided inspiration to, among others, Finnish national poet Eino Leino and iconic artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, who built his studio and home, Kalela, there.\u00a0 One of Ruovesi\u2019s most famous attractions is Helvetinj\u00e4rvi National Park (Hell\u2019s Lake National Park). But before taking the hike in Hell, one must stop in Vinha Bookshop<\/a>, Finland\u2019s oldest at 122 years old.<\/p>\n

\"\"Some of Finland\u2019s oldest books can be found at Vinha \u00a9 Roseanna Avento<\/p>\n

Going back to the 1800s in Ruovesi, we find a tailor Juuse Wilenius<\/a> (1814-1896) who wrote deeds of sale and estate inventories, having gained the skill of writing from his knowledge of sewing and embroidery. Historically, tailors were often literate and respected members of society, and so was he. Wilenius was also a sexton, and managed the church collection box accounts. Juuse\u2019s son Kustaa (1873-1962) became a bookbinder and founded the bookshop in 1903<\/a>, which was run by four generations of his family before they sold it to Pasi Vainio and Mikko Vartiainen in 2023.<\/p>\n

Vinha Bookshop is not just a tourist destination, but also a historical and cultural one, remaining in its original location built in 1931 (up until that point it operated from the Wilenius home). In addition to an antiquarian section, it has current literature, an art gallery, accommodation facilities and a caf\u00e9. It\u2019s an amazing feeling seeing second-hand books standing on the original shelving. They have titles in mostly Finnish and Swedish but have English titles, too. They hold author and reading events, cultural activities and offer residency above the bookshop to writers, artists and other creative professionals. It doesn\u2019t get better than this for a work environment! The caf\u00e9 serves a croissant and home-made raspberry jam which is the most heavenly I\u2019ve ever had! \u2013 paired with a good book in hand, of course!<\/p>\n

Note: This bookshop guide gives the views of the author, and not the position of the LSE Review of Books blog, or of the London School of Economics and Political Science.<\/p>\n

Main image credit: Michalakis Ppalis<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Shutterstock<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Do you know a place with great bookshops?\u00a0As part of a regular feature on LSE Review of Books, we\u2019re asking academics and students to recommend their favourite bookshops in a particular city or town to share with our book-loving community of readers the world over.<\/p>\n

Bookshops could be academic, alternative, multilingual, hobby-based, secret or underground institutions, second-hand outlets or connected to a university. We\u2019d like to cover all world regions too and are particularly keen to feature cities outside of Europe and North America.<\/p>\n

If something comes to mind, we\u2019re looking for a brief introduction about the city, a selection of three or four bookshops with around 150 words per bookshop, detailing why each one is a must-see. Our editorial team can then find suitable photos and links to accompany the piece, though you\u2019re welcome to supply these too.<\/p>\n

Email us if you\u2019d like to contribute:\u00a0lsereviewofbooks@lse.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"Print
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