As Helsinki greatly expanded since the early 1960’s, a lot of new suburbs were built. In their heart was usually a low, one storey mall, which would provide the local services. As Helsinki keeps on growing, the malls are facing big renovations and are considered inefficient buildings, a lot of them are being demolished and replaced with blocks of flats with business premises downstairs.
This was the fate with the mall in the Lehtisaari suburb. It was constructed in 1967 and abandoned in 2023. Since then it had sat vacant.
There it is. I received a tip about it from the father of my childhood friend and the director of my childhood daycare center when visiting them in my home town.
If I remember correctly, a tire store was located down here.
The walls now are full of graffiti.
Newer and taller structures seen in the background.
According to the father of my friend there should be a way in somewhere.
Well, technically that would be a way in.
But here I am not inside. This photo is taken through the broken window.
The other side of the same room.
Basement entrance.
The back side wasn’t very inviting. But it did make a great graffiti wall.
A loading dock at the back.
A squirrel? Or a kapybara?
Moving on to the next side of the building.
A company providing floor and wall tile services.
There we’ve had a sushi place
The central alley of the mall.
The tag about Palestine isn’t spot on. This restaurant was run by an Iraqi entrepreneur.
The final side of the mall. But wait a second.
Here we are inside Old Jerusalem.
White bricks and wood. The interior actually matches the 1960’s exterior pretty well.
The ceiling has come down.
The restaurant has been rather large.
And the walls inside really are made of stone.
Moving on to the kitchen.
Perhaps you’ll find out what kind of food this restaurant has served, but that will only happen in the next post.