Alko is the national strong alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. To celebrate their 85th anniversary, the company decided to revamp their Töölöntori location and turn it into a nostalgic special store with a sales counter. They hired brand design agency Kuudes to renew the store. Previously Kuudes had worked with Alko to renew the store concept for all 350 locations.

The goal was to design a one-of-a-kind boutique inspired by the 1930s to honour their most prestigious asset: top-notch customer service. Instead of creating a museum stuck in the past, they wanted to celebrate nostalgia with a retail environment that creates an instant wow factor.

The store combines old glamour with modern simplicity. The shopfront has a sales counter with professionals to help you with your purchases. The oak panelling, brass pipes, blackboards and iconic pendants complement the promise of a transcendent customer experience. The set of numbers ‘00260’ refers to the postal code of the area, giving all the materials a local feel.

Every single touchpoint has been considered with a great deal of care, from the clothing of the personnel to the wrapping paper for the bottles. The unique approach has generated a great buzz in the media, and Alko Töölöntori has become a source of pride in the neighbourhood – a store that takes customer experience to the next level.

Design: Juha Koskinen / Kuudes