The Finnish Big Apple "Like a small city" is also how Iso Omena (Finnish for "Big Apple") has been nicknamed. It is much more than a shopping center in Matinkylä, Espoo, Finland. The mall opened on September 24, 2001 and has then undergone a major expansion project that was completed in 2017 by the Tommila Architects studio. Their design philosophy aims at producing architectural designs that meet the changing needs of the contemporary society. This is why Iso Omena took heed of the wishes of the population of Espoo as well as possible. Because of this, Iso Omena includes many centralized municipal and private services. It houses the Service Square of the City of Espoo, which offers the services of a modern library and a health centre. Iso Omena also includes apartments, with a direct connection to the shopping center. The total area for rent is approximately 53 thousand square meters. The building has three floors, a parking lot on the bottom floor and a separate parking building and an office tower. The terminus of the first phase of the Länsimetro Western metro extension is located in the shopping center, and the bus terminal for feeder traffic is located under the shopping center. In a genuine Nordic way, an emphasis was placed on environmentally sustainable design and construction.
Nordic shopping
This magpie's nest of treasures is manna for shop-til-you-drop fanatics: Iso Omena has over 200 fashion, leisure and interior design shops, and an excellent selection of grocery stores. You'll find several international brands have a retail store presence in Iso Omena Shopping Center, as well as many stores from Finland. Locals and tourists enjoy having access to several top brands including, Zara, Levi's, H&M, Peak Performance, Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, Nordic Country Life and the Norwegian Bik Bok. In terms of Finnish brands, you'll be delighted to find classics such as Marimekko, Moda Laakso, Sinelli Christmas shop, Juhlamaailma, or Elämyslahjat, where you can among other things book a "shitty dinner" for your one and only. This dinner-show is a must-have experience. During dinner, enjoy gourmet food in a fabulous setting, but something will go badly wrong. The service is lousy, the waiters are unskilled and acting nonchalant. Laughter guaranteed!
MEET Food Court
The heart of Iso Omena is the restaurant world M.E.E.T (Meet, Eat, Enjoy, Together), which boasts an impressive selection of high-quality food. Dining and coffee options include, B.I.T.E-Barcelona, Chocolab, La Torrefazione, Momotoko Ramen, The Lucky Bastard or Fuku and many other exciting restaurants and cafés.
