The reconstruction of the historic buildings located at the corner of Laekjargata and Austurstraeti near Laekjartorg Square in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland is almost complete after the original constructions were destroyed in a fire in 2007.
The original buildings at Laekjargata 2 and 2b have been replicated from those built by Isleifur Einarsson, with an extra story added. The present reconstruction is based on the way it looked during its heyday after the Danish count Trampe remodelled it in 1807.
Despite the construction not yet being complete, the Icelandic souvenir store, Nordic Store opened its second establishment in Laekjartorg 2. The store’s interior design is made in true Icelandic style: a counter made of basalt columns, an old pier-turned-table and shipwrecked wood panels as shelving.
This is the second Nordic Store property; the other is located on Skolavordustigur, which opened in 2009. The owners, Bjarni Jonsson and Hafsteinn Valur Gudbjartsson, have previously stated that their key to success was to offer “quality products in niche markets.” To cope with high demand of woolen products, they hired more than 50 local knitters, most of who were unemployed at the time.
Other buildings are also being restored on the corner of Laekjargata and Austurstraeti; one being a new restaurant run by Icelandic national team chef Hrefna Saetran, set to open on 17th June, Iceland’s National Day.
For more information about the Icelandic products available with Nordic Store, visit www.nordicstore.net.