Turkish grocery store continues its success story in Helsinki
Turkish grocery store Alanya Market is moving into premises vacated by a prestigious department store and expanding its operations.
Origins of the Turkish store in Finland
Alanya Market is an established actor in Helsinki, known for bringing Turkish groceries as well as products from elsewhere in the region to customers in Finland. It is now moving to new premises vacated by Stockmann, a prestigious department store that occupied the space for over thirty years.
Alanya Market was founded in Helsinki in 2009 by Aleattin Gürmüç. One of his sons, Emin Gürmüç, works as the current store manager of the Helsinki store and will manage the store also on its new premises.
Alanya Market has also expanded to other cities by founding a second store in Tampere and Espoo, which are Finland's third and second largest cities respectively. The family also operates a wholesale store Alanya, selling products to other stores. The family business employs more than 50 people at the moment.
According to Emin Gürmüç, meat is especially popular, as it is always halal, and even celebrity chefs shop at the store sometimes.
So far, Alanya Market’s Helsinki store has operated at the Puhos shopping center in the eastern part of Helsinki. Its success has also contributed to the increased popularity of the shopping center’s other stores by bringing customers to the area. Puhos is known for featuring stores considered ethnic in Finland, bringing diverse goods from various countries to Finnish customers. The shopping center’s nature has also aided in creating a sense of community for those from immigrant backgrounds as well as employing them.
Nevertheless, the time is ripe for a move as the shopping center is closing for reparations soon.
Moving to new, bigger premises
Alanya Market is moving to a bigger shopping center next door. The new store opens its doors to customers on November 4. The move has attracted significant media attention in Finland because of the size and the premises' former occupant. The premises were formerly occupied by a branch of Stockmann, the most prestigious and long-standing department store in Helsinki, founded in 1862. The move therefore signifies the store's establishes position in the grocery market scene in Helsinki.
The size of the new premises is 2000 square meters, which represents a significant increase in space from the store’s current 1400-square-meter site. The Finnish grocery store market scene is dominated by established brands, and it is rare for independent grocery stores to open a store of this size.
The intent behind the move into bigger premises is doubling the number of customers. To add to Alanya Market's appeal, the store is going to employ a cook to be able to offer freshly cooked food. The store also prides itself on its spice selection and fresh herbs.
According to the owners, Alanya Market will continue to operate in its old location for another six months to a year but will be closed once the new store takes off.
Source: Helsingin Sanomat, Yle