Sitting down to share a pot of tea in the bright sunshine of Cooks Hill, Libby Helinski and I experienced a quintessentially ‘Newy’ moment. A couple approached from around the corner, and Libby said, “Oh, these are some of my lovely customers.” I turned to greet them, only to realise that I already knew this pair – through both family connection and because they were also lovely customers of my own. Smiles all around. Seriously, is there anything more ‘Newy’ than everyone knowing everyone?
Libby is the founder of Nordic lifestyle and design store, Pappa Sven, now in its proud seventh year of life. In such a short time, Pappa Sven has become an institution, set on the corner of Union and Bull Street in an idyllic 1870’s brick building that dreams are made of; apparently, it used to be a general store back in the day.
Inside, you’ll only find authenticity – true Scandinavian labels such as Marimekko, Nedre Foss, Fjällräven, Artek and Iittala. Pappa Sven stocks everything from posters to books to fashion to homewares to gardening tools; all with a Nordic bent.
Upstairs, you’ll find Pappa Sven’s apartment, and around the corner, Pappa’s Summer Cabin, both available to book for short and long stays through Airbnb.
So how did this all come about? Or, to put it more bluntly, why Nordic?
Libby and her family spent a year living in Skellefteå, a small town below the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Libby’s husband was working and the two girls – aged twelve and seven – attended school for a year. She calls it her ‘adult gap year’, and it was here that the first seeds of Pappa Sven were planted.
Libby and her family spent a year living in Skellefteå, a small town below the Arctic Circle in Sweden. She calls it her ‘adult gap year’, and it was here that the first seeds of Pappa Sven were planted.
As we chat, it strikes me that the world she’s describing sounds a lot like the lockdown we experienced in 2020, when people took to Instagram to share their at-home pottery making, baking fresh sourdough and crochet – you name it. “With no family or friends there, it felt a bit like Covid times, in that we only had ourselves,” she agrees. “That slower lifestyle I witnessed in Sweden is exactly what I wanted to bring back to the store: the Nordic lifestyle that isn’t about material things or consumerism – it’s high quality, low impact goods.”
And what of life before this adult gap year? Libby studied textile science and finance at university. She worked for a couple of years in textile importing and wool processing before taking on an entry-level role in HR at a mine site in far western New South Wales. Eventually, she made her way back to the coast with a husband and two children in tow, where they fell in love with Newcastle and decided to put down roots for a while. “It was pretty hectic, of course with two primary school-aged kids and I was working in a HR consulting firm. We’d been in Newcastle for a few years before we left for overseas.”
Libby never expected to own a shop, or indeed run her own business. She called herself a ‘structured teenager’ who had plans to go to uni after school, work hard, and find her way into a position buying for a major textile or fashion company. She had no idea that a planned linear trajectory would become a winding journey that brought so much joy, freedom, and creativity.
That slower lifestyle I witnessed in Sweden is exactly what I wanted to bring back to the store: the Nordic lifestyle that isn’t about material things or consumerism- it’s high-quality, low-impact goods.
“Everyone I met in Sweden ran their own business. I met a really lovely friend who had a beautiful shop in town and she’d take me to trade fairs. I talked to her about my ideas to bring authentic Nordic lifestyle products to Australia and she encouraged me to give it a go.”
Libby admits that her dream to open a shop in Newcastle was ‘more light-hearted’ when she was overseas, but it was returning home and realising that she no longer wanted to work in HR that was the real turning point.
“Before we left Australia, I’d found myself specialising in the area of bullying and harassment in the workplace. I considered doing my Masters in Discrimination Law, but the trip came at a great time, because in hindsight – that wasn’t what I really wanted to do.”
Libby laughs that she had no idea where to start: “Do I find the customers, get the products or open the shop first?” Luckily, she admits that her greatest life skill is to surround herself with people who do know how to do stuff! A good friend and neighbour; a designer by trade, found the original space on Parry Street. This support and that of her husband gave Libby the push she needed to take the leap.
She spent a bit of money on a counter and shelving and organised a small selection of goods to be freighted from Sweden to Australia, and that was that. “I wanted to make sure that if it all went belly up, I could just sell everything and retrieve what I spent and then get out!” Seven years later, it’s safe to say that everything went to plan – one stepping stone to another. They moved from their original small location to investing in their current building, where they renovated the upstairs level, knocking out a wall to transform the two-bedroom flat into an industrial-chic, minimalist apartment available to rent.
“I’d always wanted to find an investment property in Newcastle that we could turn into something for others to stay in because when we lived away, we always struggled to find beautifully furnished accommodation when we were visiting for the holidays. So, this building was perfect because I saw the opportunity for dual income,” says Libby.
Now, the apartment and summer cabin are booked out almost all year round, with the likes of Australian actress Toni Collette coming to stay. Being a big fan, I ask Libby if I could name-drop in the article, about which she was a bit embarrassed. Then she enthusiastically says, “You know who is exciting that you can mention… the Swedish ambassador! He came into the shop and said how much he loved it. That was a big moment.” You might recall a few years ago when minimalism was the coolest kid on the block – from homewares to clothing to hauling out our lives and starting all over again. Everyone was talking about ‘Scandi’ style. And there was Libby – having returned home from Sweden and launched Pappa Sven.
When I opened, I had no idea if this concept would work, but people in Newcastle really do love well-designed product.
“Never in my life have I been on trend!” she laughs. One of the biggest challenges Libby has faced over the years, which might seem like a contradiction, is the growing popularity of all things ‘Scandi’. This means that brands everywhere jumped on the trend, producing (pretty decent) replicas of goods that were a nod to slow, minimalist design and lifestyle.
Although of course she loves supporting Australian labels, Libby really does want to keep Pappa Sven true to its original ideals, stocking only high quality Nordic products – designed, made, and imported from overseas. “I have a very clear vision of what I want. It has to fit our lifestyle values of slow, timeless, connection to nature. So we stock outdoorsy brands, camping equipment, candle holders and Nordic books. It’s all about sustainable design practices and timeless design. No throwaway items.” That’s what makes Pappa Sven truly unique – it’s a niche offering, and one that Novocastrians are hungry for.
One of my favourite pieces of trivia is revealed, when I ask Libby whether the market for Nordic wares has grown in Newcastle since Pappa Sven opened its doors. “The market has actually always been here. When I’d been open for a few months, a customer came in and was so excited because my store reminded her of an old store on King Street; Suomi. It was open during the seventies and stocked a few big Finnish brands like Marimekko and Artek,” she says. “Some of my customers have loved this stuff for years and I had no idea. When we opened our store, we had a queue out the front and I was like, ‘Who are these people? Why are they all here’?”
I feel that Libby is being humble, and I tell her so. As the only Nordic lifestyle store in Newcastle and the Hunter, Pappa Sven should absolutely count itself as a core reason that there is an exponential growth in interest for Nordic style. “When I opened, I had no idea if this concept would work, but people in Newcastle really do love well-designed product. And of course there’s a growing trend toward things that are long-lasting. Covid has definitely changed people’s mindsets on sustainable design as well.”
Apartment Profile
What’s your favourite thing about the Cooks Hill area?
I love the older-style homes and the fact that you can walk everywhere. It’s great to witness the mixture of the older ladies who sit and have their coffee, living alongside the Uni student partying out in the street.
What was the apartment like before you undertook renovations?
This building was actually a two-bedroom residence. Prior to us moving here it was a gallery and a dance school. We dismantled the kitchen, pulled up the flooring and repainted everything. We replaced the glass in the windows to limit the noise and installed new blinds. We renewed the bathroom as well. Basically, it was a complete overhaul.
Are the renovations complete?
In terms of renovating specifically, there’s probably not anything more to do. I’d like to make the courtyard a little bit more of a haven – you know an inner-city sort of haven.
We originally set the apartment up for very short-term guests but we have come to realise the functionality when you live in it, compared to when you’re renovating, is so different. We’ve had a lot of longer stays so I’d like to install more oak shelving in the bedroom just to make it a bit more comfortable when people are here for a longer stay.
What’s your favourite room or space in the apartment and why?
I really love the bedroom and the curtains that were created by Belinda from Valley Vogue. It’s just a nice room that makes you feel like you’re sitting in the beautiful tree on Bull Street. It’s just so calm.
Do you have a favourite piece of furniture or artwork?
I definitely love the Artek Daybed – it is a beautiful piece of furniture that was first designed by a Finnish architect in the 1930’s and it’s still made in Finland. It actually used to be in our store but we ran out of space so now it is perfectly positioned in the corner of the apartment!
Where do you suggest your guests visit while staying in your apartment?
I enjoy telling people about Newcastle and all the great places to visit. I recommend people head up to Estabar or to The Autumn Rooms for breakfast, and Signal Box or Meet for lunch or dinner. Whenever there are things on at the Art Gallery or at the Civic Theatre, I let them know. Our accommodation is such a handy location for that. I’m really active so I have particular walking routes that I like people to know about as well. There’s a definite focus on the inner city and the beaches when we give recommendations.
Libby held an exhibition at The Owens Collective in 2021 to celebrate seventy years of Marimekko. A customer even brought in a pair of her husband’s Marimekko underwear, bought from Suomi back in the day. “Every day I go home and tell my family something interesting I heard from a customer” Libby remarks. It’s without doubt that Pappa Sven is more than a store – it’s a community.
Words: Amy Lovat | Photography: Zoë Lonergan
As seen in Swell Issue 10.
