Hannu Aaltonen's work as a merchant has taken him to many places, but Turku has always been the city closest to his heart. Now he cannot imagine anything other than life in Turku.
Although the intention is to interview a person named Hannu Aaltonen, rather than the well-known merchant Aaltonen, his private and public personas are closely intertwined. He conducts the interview in his office at the hypermarket in Kupittaa, which has been his workplace for 25 years.
Although Aaltonen comes from a family of merchants, his original plans did not include working in the retail sector. As a young man, he was interested in the media industry, but through various stages of his career, he was asked to become a merchant at Rauma Citymarket in 1990.
– We enjoyed our time in Rauma for a couple of years, after which I was asked to become a retailer in Lahti. I spent eight years there, says Aaltonen.
After that, a call from the Kesko company brought Aaltonen back to Turku and Kupittaa. His family has travelled with him, and this mobility has suited a man who is curious and interested in an active life.
– The life of a merchant is such that you go where your job takes you. It has been rewarding to live in different cities, although Turku is, of course, my favourite.
Sometimes you just have to accept a bit of mess
Born in Heideken (maternity hospital), Aaltonen knows his hometown well. As a child, he lived with his family on the 10th floor of an apartment building on Linnankatu, and he remembers looking out over the Aurajoki riverbank, where there was always something happening. Sand barges transported sand, from where it was transferred to lorries and transported onwards.
The river played a significant role as a transport route for local industry.
– The appearance of the riverbank has changed a lot since the 1960s and 1970s. Now it is used more for recreational purposes. Having the Turku Music Centre Fuuga between the City Theatre and the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum is certainly a great thing, Aaltonen says.
Another place that brings back childhood memories is Martinsilta, where he practised smoking tobacco as a young teenager. Aaltonen says he has always been a rather impulsive person who acts rather than thinks. In his work, he has come up with many creative and even controversial campaigns.
Coincidence and intuition often play a role.
I listen carefully and jump at things that catch my interest. Sometimes things get messy when you’re trying to innovate.
Family, friends and nature as important resources
Aaltonen, who is in his sixties, has three children who grew up in Lahti and later in Turku, and now all three, like Aaltonen himself, live close to each other in Papinsaari, Hirvensalo.
Aaltonen enjoys the nature in Hirvensalo, but still eagerly goes for long walks along the riverbank. He is often accompanied by his Swiss White Shepherd dog, Luna.
– If my spouse and I didn't have a dog, we would probably live in the city centre. However, Hirvensalo is a better place for a large dog.
Aaltonen spends his days off on Sundays, when he may spend several hours cutting firewood. His spouse mostly takes care of household matters and food for the home.
Food is an important part of the couple's life, but Aaltonen does not consider himself a keen cook. In the summer, they barbecue at home or at their cottage, which is also located in Hirvensalo.
They also regularly get together with friends on Saturday evenings to enjoy good food and drink. When they were younger, these evenings would stretch into the early hours of the morning.
– Nowadays, we start in the afternoon and are home by ten o'clock. At this age, we can't keep going any longer, Aaltonen says with a smile.
While living in Lahti, Aaltonen, who enjoys social life, noticed surprising differences between the two places. When Aaltonen moved to Lahti with his family, the neighbourhood held a welcome party in honour of the new residents.
– It was really nice and made us feel welcome.
Although, according to Aaltonen, people in Turku are a bit slow to warm up, they know how to do it here too.
Turku-based chef Aki Wahlman is an active member of the food-loving group and enjoys bringing new faces to the meetings.
– That's a great thing about Aki, and it's a good way to network and meet new people.
Achievements should be shared with others
Food culture also takes Aaltonen and his spouse on holiday trips around the world. Aaltonen's favourites include Italian cuisine, with its simplicity and fine ingredients. Aaltonen also praises Turku's food and restaurant culture.
In his opinion, one area where Turku could improve is in proudly showcasing the city's success stories to the outside world. One such example is the Meyer Turku shipyard.
– Whenever I have foreign guests, I tell them that the world's largest cruise ships are built here. We don't really know how to promote these things enough ourselves.
TEXT: HEIDI HORILA | PHOTOS: HEIKKI RÄISÄNEN
The article has been published in Finnish in Turkuposti 1, 2026.
Merchant Hannu Aaltonen has brought piispanmunkit, known locally as piispikset, to everyone’s attention with campaigns that have become a talking point across Finland.
Social media has been filled with pink doughnuts, and they have been sold in record numbers, yet the piispis is still most often known by its other name.
But not for long. The City of Turku, together with local entrepreneurs, aims to make a change.
In the run-up to the Turku Day, a national "Piispis Day" is being planned. The goal is that in every corner of the country, people will in future order their coffee buns the proper way: "Pist siit sit viis piispist".
