Shops in central Kouvola fell by nearly 15 percent between 2020 and 2025, Yle reported. Offices, cafés, restaurants and cultural services have moved in as retail leaves.
The trend runs beyond Kouvola. In Seinäjoki, the number of shops in the centre dropped by more than 30 percent over the same years, and cities are monitoring how business premises are used in their centres.
"Specialist retail is giving way to online or other retail locations from the core centre. In its place come offices, cafés, restaurants, cultural services and other services," said Janne Viitamies, a researcher of city centre development who is currently working in Kouvola.
Kouvola's newest additions include a comic museum and a ceramics studio. Elisa Kotkamaa, entrepreneur and artist at Keramiikkastudio Lysti, wanted to be in the heart of the city because people find it easy to come there. Accessibility wasn't her only reason.
"The idea of the city centre has changed," she said.
Viitamies said offices bring workers into the centre who want to eat and use services, which attracts businesses such as the ceramics studio, while vacated shop premises remain available. "According to studies, people want to go into town to see other people, perhaps by arrangement or by chance, and to be seen by other people too," he said. A 2022 resident survey commissioned by the city of Kouvola on developing the centre repeated wishes to sit in cafés with friends or to have experiences.
"In city centres you see how we want to live our lives and what we spend our time on," Viitamies said.