Joo Hetki café fosters a sense of community in Oulu

In late 2021, we were wondering what to do with a large retail space on the ground floor of our upcoming apartment complex, Mallastohtori, in Toppilansalmi, Oulu. There were many Joo Kodit apartments in the surrounding area, but the new neighbourhood still needed more amenities. What Toppilansalmi didn’t have was a pleasant spot for people to hang out, meet friends, or sit down for a cup of coffee and read a book. Our then CEO Jaakko Niskanen came up with a wild idea: ”Let’s open a café.” And that’s how the story of Joo Hetki began.

We got excited about Joo Hetki immediately. A large group of Joo team members sat down to brainstorm ideas for the café. Bond Agency, who was responsible for designing the Joo brand, designed the café’s interior and helped us to come up with the concept.

Joo Hetki opened in January 2023, and it’s turned out to be much more than a café. It’s the common living room of the Toppilansalmi district, where people can pop in for breakfast or lunch, or spend an entire evening. It’s also possible to host private parties, public events, or exhibitions at Joo Hetki, as the space can be divided and adapted to different needs. The café also serves as a Joo Kodit customer service point and Oulu’s second office, where new residents can pick up their keys and get help in person when needed.

We founded Joo Hetki, because we want our residents to enjoy carefree living and a thriving sense of community. Come and join us for coffee, or why not discover the happy atmosphere of our running school? The runners start off from the café. See you at Satamatie 5!

This blog post was originally published in our annual report 2022. Would you like to read more? Click here to read the mobile version or here to read the desktop version.