Kaivohuone was permanently closed – This is how Markus Selin, who hosted the celebrity party, commented –

For Markus Selin, Kaivohuone is a familiar place with years of experience. Rosa Bröijer

The legendary restaurant Kaivohuone in Helsinki’s Kaivopuisto has closed permanently. The restaurant announced this on its website and social media profiles. The restaurant has a colorful history as a place popular with social circles, where both premiere parties and eye-catching private parties have been celebrated.

Iltalehti contacted the film producer Markus Selinwho once served as Kaivohuone’s landlord in the 90s together with, among other things Renny Harlin’s with. At that time, according to Helsingin Sanomat, the new landlords improved the places by doing surface repairs.

– We have been there as small owners two or three times over the decades, he recalls to Iltalehte.

– After all, Kaivohuone is a place in Helsinki’s Parade Ground, which has a long history since the 19th century. Everything has happened there during our lifetime. It’s a funny place because when it’s out of the way of everything else, there has to be a lot of people there for a group to come. Pulling it off is no easy feat, Selin says frankly.

He managed to organize, for example, numerous Solar Films events at Kaivohuone.

– Of course, it’s a great place for private parties. We’ve had movie premieres there, because there’s a parking lot nearby and it’s not a terribly long way to the city center when we leave there in the evening.

The listed company Noho Partners, which runs restaurant operations, terminated the restaurant’s lease in the spring. The lease expires at the end of October. The city of Helsinki announced last spring that it was preparing to sell Kaivohuone.

Selin reveals that he heard a wild rumor about the fate of the restaurant.

– I was left with the impression that the city will put it up for open auction. I don’t know if that’s the case, but I’ve heard rumours, he says.

Would you be able to call Kaivohuone yourself if it were to be auctioned?

– No, that’s in the past. I think it has quite a repair job ahead of it, whoever takes it on, he estimates.