The Hoito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Hoito |
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Doors to The Hoito Restaurant
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1918 |
| Food type | Finnish |
| Street address | 314 Bay Street |
| City | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
The Hoito Restaurant, or just "The Hoito" to locals, was a famous Finnish-Canadian restaurant. It opened in 1918 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was located on the ground floor of the old Finnish Labour Temple.
For over 100 years, The Hoito served delicious food at 314 Bay Street. It was in the Bay & Algoma neighbourhood. The restaurant closed in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was special because it was one of Canada's oldest restaurants owned by a group of people, not just one person. People hoped it would reopen in summer 2022. However, a big fire on December 22, 2021, badly damaged the Finnish Labour Temple building. The building is now gone, and new construction is happening.
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How The Hoito Started
The name "Hoito" means "care" in Finnish. The idea for the restaurant began in a logging camp near Nipigon, Ontario. A union organizer named A.T. Hill was helping workers there. He was also promoting a new Finnish-Canadian newspaper called Vapaus (which means Freedom).
The workers had a problem. They could find cheap places to stay in Port Arthur (now part of Thunder Bay). But they couldn't find affordable, home-cooked meals. So, they asked for a restaurant that would be owned by its customers. This idea was taken to the leaders of the Finnish Labour Temple, and they said yes.
Fifty-nine people put their money together. They each loaned $5 to start the restaurant. A.T. Hill, the union organizer, became the first manager.
Delicious Finnish Food
The Hoito Restaurant was most famous for its Finnish pancakes. These pancakes were thin and as big as a dinner plate. People ate them with maple syrup, strawberry sauce, or a sprinkle of sugar. In Finland, these pancakes are called lettu or lätty.
The Hoito also served other traditional Finnish foods:
- viili (a type of sour yogurt)
- Karelian pasty (karjalanpiirakka)
- Karelian hot pot (karjalanpaisti)
- Salmon-potato casserole (lohiperunalaatikko)
- pulla (sweet cardamom bread)
- Salted fish (suolakala)
- Rice pudding (riisipuuro)
- Fish soup (kalakeitto)
- Pea soup (hernekeitto)
- Vienna sausage (nakki)
Another well-known dish was mojakka. This was a stew made with beef, potatoes, and turnips. It was seasoned with allspice. The word mojakka isn't Finnish. The Hoito staff made up the name themselves!
A Restaurant Owned by Its Customers
Since it opened in 1918, The Hoito was run as a co-operative. This means it was owned by its customers, not a single person or company. Customers could buy a yearly membership card. This card let them vote at the Finnish Labour Temple's yearly meeting. At this meeting, they helped choose the people who would manage the restaurant.
The workers at The Hoito also had a say in how things were run. They helped organize their own work schedules. This way of working gave them more control over their jobs.
Who Visited The Hoito?
The Hoito was a very popular spot in Thunder Bay. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, people would often line up for breakfast. Many different kinds of people visited The Hoito. You could see students, workers, and even famous people. Politicians and news reporters also enjoyed eating there.
Years ago, until the 1970s, the dining room had long tables where everyone sat together. Customers could even buy meal tickets. Later, the restaurant changed to a more typical style. It had individual tables and a few smaller tables where people could still sit together.
