Ari Laurila always speaks well of Riihimäki – even to his colleagues, almost as a joke

Riksuun rakastuneet is a story series in which people from Riihimäki share their thoughts about their hometown.

Ari Laurila is a proud Riksu resident. He is surprised by the way locals treat their own municipality – a phenomenon familiar all over Finland. Laurila thinks it is better to praise than to criticize.

“In social media discussion groups, the sympathetic Eksynyt statue at the roundabout is often belittled, but on the other hand, many people take care of it. At Christmas, they put an Santa hat on it. I think this describes the people of Riihimäki very well; some people like art, others don't care. I appreciate the fact that my hometown invests in public art. I always say hello to Eksynyt when I drive past it.”

Laurila enjoys walking in the beautiful area of ​​the Glass Museum. Hatlamminsuo and the Käräjäkoski nature trail in the upper reaches of the Vantaanjoki River are also important places for her.

"For me, Riksu is just the right size. It's a short drive to everywhere. There are jobs, an active cultural life and lots of recreational opportunities for both children and adults. The spirit of the city is a perfect mix of Hämeenlinna's slowness and Uusimaa's speed."

Great Asian flavors

Laurila's desk is in Vantaa, but she travels around Finland doing sales work.

“One of the good things about Riihimäki is that it’s the same distance from here to everywhere. For example, it’s an hour to Tampere, Lahti and Helsinki. This week I’m traveling for three days and in Vantaa for two. My employer has a packaging manufacturing factory in Riksu, and sometimes I visit there with customers.”

A functional and nice little town is logistically in the right place. Laurila states that the city has large and stable employers, and small businesses are doing the same as elsewhere in Finland.

“Not everyone is doing well. But there are surprisingly many small businesses in Riihimäki that have been operating successfully for a long time. I often stop by one of Riihimäki's cozy cafes. My favorite restaurants are Riihitähti, La Fresco and Naa's Thai Cuisine. It's unassuming on the outside, but after eating there, all other Asian food tastes like crap.”

A suitably sized Riksu

A year ago, Laurila wrote posts on LinkedIn for a week, introducing companies from Riihimäki. As a new resident of Riihimäki, she likes her hometown and is happy to praise it to others. She talked about, among other things, Havi, Sako, RTV Group, Versowood and HUB logistics Finland Oy's packaging manufacturing factory.

“Everyone seems to know Hämeenlinna and Hyvinkää, but Riihimäki is less well-known. I’m telling good things about Riihimäki so that it becomes better known. I plan to continue posting just about the joy of doing things. Positivity feeds positivity and life is more enjoyable then.”

Laurila went to school in Tammisaari and lived there until adulthood. She and her family have lived in a few places in Uusimaa, and five years ago they moved to Riihimäki. They went to look at houses in several places.

“One weekend we drove to Riihimäki, and after going inside the house we made the decision to buy almost immediately. It’s impossible to explain with reason what caused it. I just had the feeling that we had now arrived home. The house was built in the 80s, so it’s not a romantic 20s wooden house. My only requirement was a large garage, and there’s no room for that either… I can’t repair the car in a small garage,” Laurila laughs.

Laurila's wife's grandmother used to live in Riihimäki, but neither of them had any other ties to the city. Now the family has completely settled in. Laurila sees many good things about Riihimäki. Everyone fits in there and no one is excluded. However, the city is not too small, so everyone knows each other.

Ari Laurila

• Lived in Riihimäki since 2019. Home is in a detached house built in the late 80s.
• The family consists of a wife and four children, the youngest of whom, a third-grader, still lives at home.
• Engages in hands-on activities, such as repairing cars and motorcycles. A lot of time is spent watching the child's RIPS soccer games and practices.
• Sales Manager at Hub Logistics. The company has a packaging manufacturing plant on Kynttilätie in Riihimäki.

Text by Reija Ypyä
Photos by Jenniina Nummela