Springtime Second Hand Shop Challenge

It feels like a perfect day for a treasure hunt! Seinäjoki area offers multiple thrift stores for ecological shoppers. Do you need a pair of jeans? An umbrella or a wedding dress? You will most likely find things you never knew you needed. Let’s go thrifting!

It feels like a perfect day for a treasure hunt! Seinäjoki area offers multiple thrift stores for ecological shoppers. Do you need a pair of jeans? An umbrella or a wedding dress? You will most likely find things you never knew you needed. Let’s go thrifting!

As a local from Seinäjoki, I have noticed one thing people tend to seek from here, thrift stores! Southern-Ostrobothnia’s most lively thrift stores are found in the heart of Seinäjoki. 

When my non local- friends come for a visit, a thrift store stroll is always a must do! Today we decided to take a new step on this ‘’field trip’’ as we try to see through all Seinäjoki’s thrift stores just in one day!

Our day started with a breeze that promised to move the clouds away for that golden sunshine. I packed my bag and headed out, as ready as I could be for this challenge…

February is already showing hints of spring.  Near the central bus stop, I noticed how the willow shrubs had made some catkins. Can you believe it? Winter was so short! I met my childhood friend Sirkku at the central station. We usually have these secondhand shop strolls and catch up on our news, but today our shopping spree will be on the next level of serious business since we are trying to complete this challenge.

Sirkku and I came to agreement that thrift stores should be appraised for keeping the idea of shopping second hand goods mainstream. Choosing to buy second hand instead of something new, you make your carbon footprint smaller, and thus fight the climate change. 

Few words of our friendship, we met in elementary school and neither of us remember how we became friends. It might have something to do with climbing to trees and catching frogs. Anyways, we both enjoy the idea that a cloth should not be just a piece you use once but it should last for many years.

Fida

https://www.fida.fi/myymalat/seinajoki/

And so, we started! In the central of Seinäjoki, Fida has a compact shop that is arranged with thought. Neither of us had a certain thing we were looking for but as soon as we saw these matching pastel jackets, we needed to try them out! Not exactly vintage but who could resist trying out something that resembles the Spice Girls.

We checked the place through and decided not to buy anything we really did not need. Why would you stuff your wardrobe with things you kind of like? Today, fashion and lifestyle praises sustainability and minimalism. So, we choose to buy only the things we need, and when it’s second hand, it’s also about making a difference in the consumerism of low-quality fast fashion.

Vintarelle

https://www.vintarelle.fi

No, we didn’t keep the pastel jackets, we chose to leave them for someone else to enjoy! Our next destination Vintarelle was a short walk away from Ostoskulma to Torikeskus. We chose to try and find sunglasses from one of the thrift stores since the sun really was shining like a summer’s day, so lovely! Vintarelle offered unique pieces and the buzz was real! We decided to make outfits for each other’s. Maybe the best thing to do since you won’t try out something you normally wouldn’t think suits you!

What it comes to unique pieces of clothing, vintage finds are the best. As mentioned, buying that one good quality 70’s jacket that you will love to wear is better than having random stacks of clothes in your closet. Another cool spot for quality goods is Holmström second hand. Today we didn’t have the chance to visit the chic Holmström, so we added it on our summer bucket list.

‘’Nothing haunts us more than the vintage we didn’t buy’’

Travelling around in Seinäjoki by bus, we both had our bus cards ready. Without the bus card, you can travel one bus route with 2 euros. Since we had to make multiple jumps on and off, the card really was a relieve. Am I the only one that gets nostalgic from bus drives?

Vanhankylän Ullakko

​https://www.vanhankylanullakko.fi/

Certainly, one of the oldest thrift stores in Jouppi, Ullakko has been here since 1996! And what a surprise, I found a lamp from my childhood! Remember to check the attic once you go through Ullakko, there are some furniture’s and paintings there. What’s special about Ullakko? The vintage decoration above the changing rooms.

So, on these thrift store explorations, one goal is always to catch something that reflects your style and shows who you are. Isn’t there anything more delightful than having something you know no one else can buy from a store?

Ykkösbasaari

http://www.ykkosbasaari.fi/

Just around the corner is Ykkösbasaari, another large secondhand store. Both Lakeuden shoppis and Ykkösbasaari work as people sell their things on separate slots. If you are on a rush, this kind of stores might be better to leave for another day, head your way to SPR or Fida where you can find certain pieces easier. 

We ended up looking for unique paintings here and we surely found some!

Kak’s kättä

https://www.kakskatta.com/

This place is really a rare one! Kaks’ kättä/recycling centre has the cheapest furniture and clothing pieces you can find. There also was a possibility to have some coffee or a lunch. We both loved this antique couch that was just waiting for the right person to come and bring it home. Antiques might need some care, but they have something those manufactured basic furniture will most likely never end up having in their short lives, a story. Who made it, when and where?  I can just wonder how many places this couch has survived.

Piritan kirpputori

http://www.kirppikset.info/kirppikset/piritan-basaari

Neither of us had never visited Piritan kirpputori and we chose to walk there since the weather was so full of spring. And my luck, I found this kind of terribly huge glass bottle I could have done an airtight garden into. But no way I would have carried it with me all the way to the bus stop and back home as one piece. Sirkku thrifted one of Arabia’s Moomin serving plates. We both loved the animation ‘’Kuka lohduttaisi Nyytiä’’ and I remember singing the songs in 4th grade, when Sirkku heard, she immediately pointed out that she knows where that tune was from. Then we would try to memorize the poems from the book, and neither of us remembered how the tune was supposed to go correctly. Maybe my bottle garden idea was doomed right from the beginning, but who knows if I end up going back for that giant jar!

SPR Hyllykallio

http://spr-kirppis.fi/stores/hyllykallio/

When you are doing a thrift store stroll, both SPR in Hyllykallio and Keskusta are the places you must visit! We spared the best for the last since it also is the most far one from the central station. Unlike the personal slots, SPR is organized in sections, and they even have my favourite thing separately… the 80’s! That’s the area you never know what you end up finding.

We finally had done it! All of Seinäjoki’s Thrift stores in one day! And believe me, when we got on to the Bus number 4 from Hyllykallio back to the Central station, we were so done with shopping! And of course, we had to return to Pikku Paussi, just for a few more cups of tea and cake.

After all shopping should not be the thing that brings pleasure, but the time spend doing fun things together with the people we care.

Blog writer; a local who enjoys culture and loves creating –
Ilta Lauriina Lahti, writer @ilta.lauriina
Joni Kuusisto, photos @j.kuu

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