A new shop dedicated to products featuring Moomin and his friends will open its doors in London’s Camden Market on Wednesday 6th December, just in time for Christmas. The brand is one of Finland’s biggest cultural exports, so it’s fitting that the opening falls on the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence.
Offering over 3,000 different Moomin products from over 40 different suppliers around the world, the shop will focus on homeware and sell high-end items such as Moomin bedding and cushions, clothing, stationery and tableware – including the iconic Arabia mugs which have been produced since the 1950s – in addition to plush toys and Moomin books.
Situated within the Grade II-listed former horse hospital, the shop will have a stylish, minimalist interior and aims to cater for adult fans of Moomin who have a keen interest in Scandinavian design and aesthetic.
The opening is the fulfilment of a long-standing dream for its owner and manager, Magnus Englund, who previously co-founded the multi-store Scandinavian design retailer, Skandium.
Englund said, “I’m a life-long fan of Moomin creator Tove Jansson’s work, and have had the ambition to open a dedicated Moomin shop for many years – but was always too busy! I’m thrilled to now be opening our doors in Camden Market, which is the perfect place for a Moomin shop with its strong footfall and mix of cool brands like Dr. Martens and the Modfather. It’s a shopping destination not just for tourists but also for Londoners.”
“There’s not a single other character brand I’d like to run a shop for – but there really is something special about the Moomin brand, and how people connect with it on so many levels,” he added. “It has such a strong artistic and literary heritage, and it’s so important to me that that heritage is evident in the shop’s design and product range.”
The Moomin Shop Camden Market will be open from 10am to 7pm, seven days a week and 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day. It is the second dedicated Moomin shop in the UK, following the Moomin Shop Covent Garden which had huge success since opening its doors in 2011.
As well as opening a new Moomin shop, Englund is partnering with the owner of the Covent Garden shop, Patrick Haddad, to launch a new distribution company which will make it easier for other retailers around the UK to stock Moomin products. Called Design Distribution, the company will represent 50 Moomin licensees from around the world and stock their products in a third-party warehouse in the UK. This will speed up order fulfillment and allow independent retailers to place smaller orders than they would be able to if ordering direct from licensees. It will also streamline the process for retailers, by giving them one point of contact as opposed to them having to order from 50 different companies. Design Distribution will launch in January.
Like the Moomin Shop Camden Market on Facebook here.