All food has a story. This one’s ours.
Over 100 years ago, the Finnish immigrant community pulled together its resources during difficult times. They cared about the Finnish immigrant men who worked hard in the bush camps and had no families to come home to in the city, and no home-cooked meals. That is the origin of the name “Hoito” which means both “to care” and to “look after”.
Fast forward to today. The Finlandia Co-operative of Thunder Bay Inc is committed to bringing back the Hoito, and we’re moving ahead slowly but surely. We’ve started with a market kitchen stall at the Thunder Bay Country Market and plan on organizing some interesting activities while working towards opening a fully operational sit-down restaurant. We are excited about it being a vibrant community space.
The mission of the Finlandia Co-op is :
to show concern for the well-being of the greater community
driven and empowered through a co-operative business model.
to honour its history and heritage by growing sustainable and inclusive businesses that adapt to the ever-changing needs of our membership.
to own and operate sustainable business endeavours.
Our Progress
The Finlandia Co-Operative of Thunder Bay Inc.was officially incorporated as a non share capital (non-profit) consumer cooperative on 22 July 2020 by a group of like-minded community members in response to the closure and sale of the Finnish Labour Temple and Hoito Restaurant, located in the heart of the Bay and Algoma community in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Throughout the 2020-21 pandemic, the Co-Operative Board of volunteers worked through incorporation status, joint-investment ventures, fundraising campaigns, business and marketing planning, co-operative model research & implementation, lease negotiations and the creation of additional revenue streams (pancake mix, specialty coffee, merchandising).
After the crushing fire that destroyed the Finnish Labour Temple, the Co-op pivoted and started selling pancake mix to continue its fundraising efforts, in the hope to open up the restaurant at some point.
We are currently operating out of the Thunder Bay Country Market twice weekly (Wednesdays and Saturdays), and are planning other activites that will help move the needle forward on opening a fully operational, sit-down restaurant in the future.
Our Team
The caretaker board of directors has included a number of members and ‘at large members’ over the course of this process, as our volunteers also lived through their own personal ups & downs during the pandemic. From its inception, these members included influential voices from Finnish organizations, community and user groups of the hall, local entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, and business professionals, historically- and socially-minded individuals, and some who are ‘in-it’ for the pancakes and their own memories of the restaurant.
Buy a share, become a
member-owner!
Get your membership form here!
Your $50.00 membership provides you with status as a life-long stakeholder in the Finlandia Co-Operative of Thunder Bay, including ownership of the Hoito Restaurant.
Click here to fill out the membership form!
Once your memership has been approved, we’ll send you payment details to seal the deal.
