Shops in Hetta

Supermarket
There is only one supermarket in Hetta. It is open 7 days a week during the tourism season, from 8:30 to 20:00 on weekdays, with later openings and earlier closings on the weekend. In the low season, it is generally open only six days a week but this varies from month to month. The supermarket is surprisingly well stocked since a lot of people journey to Hetta from nearby places in Sweden and Norway in order to benefit from the cheaper produce and alcohol prices in Finland.

Hardware Shop:
The hardware shop is located between the entrance to the supermarket / alcohol shop and the pharmacy. If you need larger items like wood or netting then you need to drive to the back of the shop to pick it up and you generally do this before going around to the front to pay. Openings times are generally within half an hour of the opening of the supermarket, but the hardware shop shuts at 18:00 (ie two hours earlier than the supermarket normally closes), is generally closed on Sundays and works on restricted hours (if open) on Saturdays.

Alcohol Shop (Alko Shop):
Hetta's alcohol shop – as with all other alcohol shops in Finland – is state-run and always well stocked. When you enter the main entrance for the supermarket, the hardware shop and grocery shop are on the left-hand side and the alcohol shop is on the right. The shop assistants are always keen to help. You will be asked for I.D. if you look under 18 (the legal drinking age) however you must be older than 20 to purchase spirits. Although you can purchase some alcohol in the supermarket, you can't buy anything greater that 4.7% alc. - but prices are standard in all shops. Alko shops close at 18:00 Mon to Thur, 20:00 Fridays and are generally not open on weekends.

Pharmacy
The pharmacy is located in-between the alcohol shop and the clothes shop, on the main street. It sells both animal and human medicines and there is generally someone working there who can speak English.

Second-Hand Shop:
The second hand shop is in the wooden building beside the supermarket, (the old school). It is only open on weekdays, (from 10am - 5pm on Mondays and from 9am to 3pm on Tuesdays to Fridays). There is both a straight fee shop and one in which people pay for tables and sell what they want for the price they indicate on the items. Between the two shops there is generally a good selection of women's clothes, warm winter jackets and various useful other items which seem to change frequently enough to make weekly visits worthwhile. The large box on the stairs at the main entrance is a 'free-for-all' box, from which you can take anything.

Hetan Aitta.
Hetan Aitta is situated next to Hetta's youth centre, between the row of shops and the municpality building. As well as being the local lottery shop, they sell a variety of items that you won't find in other shops in Hetta including stationary, bath and shower products, books, computer stuff, children's toys, a few sewing items and souvenirs.

Disabled Rehabilitation Centre
The municipality has a training and rehabilitation centre for disabled inhabitants located beside the grill. If you happen to find it open, it contains some wonderful hand-made souvenirs which have been created there.

Post Office and Cafe (Erämaakota)
As with most places in Lapland, the Post Office does not serve only one function. In fact, it is also a flower shop, the main bakery for the region, a cafe, souvenir shop and petrol station! It is the building on the left hand side, half way between the junction to Norway and the village of Hetta, in the direction of the village. This petrol station is far cheaper than the one by the junction to Norway.

Sports Boutique and Hardware Shop
Hetta's 'Sport Butikk' is located in the shopping complex by the Kautokeino junction. It has a linked DIY shop adjacent to it with a wide range of products from primarily fairly cheap brands so this is a good place to search for odds and sods when something goes wrong with your car, for example.

Hetta Silver
Hetta Silver is in the shopping complex by the Kautokeino junction. Finnish Sonera sim cards and credit are available in the Hetta Silver shop in the same complex. As well as sim cards they also have a very limited selection of phones and phone chargers, although they may well be able to order more if you ask. As the name implies, they also sell souvenirs and silver jewellery and they offer traditional Sami silver jewellery making courses to groups. More information can be found from

Koru Laakso Silver Shop
Koru Laakso is another of Hetta's traditional silver and jewellery shops. This is located in the centre of town, and also offers traditional Sami silver jewellery making courses to groups.

Post Office, Petrol Station and Cafe
As with most places in Lapland, the Post Office does not serve only one function. In fact, it is also a flower shop, bakery, cafe, souvenir shop and petrol station! It is the building on the left hand side, half way between the junction to Norway and the village of Hetta, in the direction of the village. This petrol station is far cheaper than the one by the junction to Norway.

Alternate Petrol Station, Cafe and Outdoor Goods Shop
The petrol station located almost opposite the turning towards Kautokeino and Alta in Norway also has a cafe and small outdoor goods shop associated with it.

Sports Boutique
Hetta's 'Sport Butikk' is located in the shopping complex by the Kautokeino junction.