By Kim Latimer
An ode to all things northern, the new artisan-inspired boutique Nordicity has a vibe that can only be described as “Viking cabin dweller meets bohemian Helsinki fashionista.” It’s an adventurous fusion of northern art and culture.
And if there are a few things the Vikings, Norse, Scandinavians, and northern Canadians would agree upon, they are definitely the following: the importance of a solid wood-splitting axe, the necessary warmth of fur, and the cleansing beauty of a wood-burning sauna stove. These are a few of the items you’ll find in stock at the shop nestled between the Bean Fiend and Comix Plus on Algoma Street. They also sell consignment work by local craftspeople and artisans, and clothes that are trending in Sweden.
The owners are sisters Monica and Jaana Penna, a couple of Finlanders who grew up in Lappe. Their motivation to open the store was to revisit and bring back traditional items they remember from their childhoods—the Laplander hats, for example. “The work we’ve selected to host here at the shop really embodies our theme,” says Monica. “The subject matters we are interested in include wood, fur, leather, stone, birch bark, and natural materials collected locally or inspired by northern nature.”
“We want to feel more connected to our roots,” says Jaana. “When we took our recent trip to Finland and Sweden we were just astounded by the similarities in the way we live. We have the same kind of climate, same landscape of lakes, we fish and camp, or spend time in the forest and pick mushrooms,” Monica adds. “We want to be part of that vision of where we live and come from.” The shop will also be hosting artisan workshops in the winter, including one on how to make birch bark stars.
For more about the shop and upcoming workshops, search Nordicity 807 on Facebook.
