Fjarðarkaup received the incentive award.
The Marketing Office of Hafnarfjörður's Incentive Award was presented for the seventh time last Thursday at a festive and enjoyable ceremony in Hafnarborg. Fjarðarkaup, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer, received the award this time. Awards were also presented to four recipients in recognition of their work in strengthening business and the local atmosphere in Hafnarfjörður.
Special recognition was awarded to Litla hönnunar búðin, Ísfell, Jólaþorpið and Guðmundur Fylkisson.
The Marketing Office of Hafnarfjörður's Incentive Award was presented for the seventh time last Thursday at a festive and enjoyable ceremony in Hafnarborg. Fjarðarkaup, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer, received this year's incentive award, among other things, for its excellent product range, friendly and good service, and for making shopping more enjoyable, as the shop is enveloped in a special atmosphere and many people say it is always a unique experience to go to Fjarðarkaup. At the ceremony, four organisations were also recognised for their work in strengthening business and the local community spirit in Hafnarfjörður.
Notice on the website of the Marketing Bureau of Hafnarfjörður
Reviews of the award recipients
Fjarðarkaup
Fjarðarkaup is the recipient of the 2023 Marketing Institute of Hafnarfjörður's Incentive Award. This successful family business, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer, is certainly a cornerstone of retail and service in Hafnarfjörður, and also one of the businesses that the people of Hafnarfjörður are most proud of. Fjarðarkaup receives this award for its excellent range of products, friendly and good service, and for making shopping trips more enjoyable. There is a special spirit and atmosphere that surrounds the shop, and many people say it is always a unique experience to go to Fjarðarkaup. Shopping trips can sometimes be a little longer, as people often meet up and have a chat. Fjarðarkaup is, in its own way, also the town's social hub. In this unique shop, the owners are also visible and can clearly be seen helping out in various jobs. Today, three of Sigurberg and Ingibjorg's four children work in the shop, and the next generation is also starting to get involved. It's clear their work is well-regarded, or as one of the testimonials we received put it: „The experience is always that the managers of Fjarðarkaup take that extra step to exceed expectations.“
The Little Design Shop
The Little Design Shop has been an essential part of Strandgatan for over eight years. There you can find a diverse selection of designer and artisan items, gifts, and beautiful things to delight yourself and others. New and exciting products arrive regularly, often from designers who support environmental awareness and sustainability. The shop also adds a fun flavour to the local life with various happenings and events to attract people to our town centre. Or as one nomination stated, „a fantastic shop and the town centre certainly wouldn't be the same without it.“ The owners of Litla Hönnunar Búðin are the couple Sigríður Margrét Jónsdóttir and Elvar Gunnarsson. Over the years, Sigríður Margrét has been extremely active in various community activities related to our town and clearly has its best interests at heart. Notably, she served on the board of the Marketing Office of Hafnarfjörður for five years, four of which she was chairman. Over the years, Litla Hönnunar Búðin has received many nominations for the encouragement award, but it has never been considered appropriate to present it with the award due to Sigríður Margrétar's position on the board. The current board of the marketing office therefore felt the time had come to recognise the Little Design Shop and wishes to encourage it to continue attracting people to our beautiful town.
Icefall
Ísfell at Óseyrarbraut, which has been operating for 30 years, is a leader in the development, manufacture and service of fishing gear. The company also specialises in aquaculture services and fall arrest and lifting solutions. Its headquarters are in Hafnarfjörður, and Ísfell also has eight branches across the country. This is an extremely ambitious company that pays close attention to safety and quality, sustainability, and social responsibility, and has, among other things, adopted five core principles from the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Their product range has also become quite extensive, and includes, among other things, various work and sea wear, snow chains, tools and much more. Although the business is primarily related to the fishing industry, its operations extend further afield; apparently, the Christmas trees in the Christmas Village are always tied together with green, four-millimetre-thick twine from Ísfell. The company, which can certainly be considered one of Hafnarfjörður's most dynamic industrial firms, has been much more visible recently and, among other things, received a new logo last year to mark its 30th anniversary. and a few weeks ago, they launched a new and impressive website. Over the years, Ísfell has also sponsored various sports clubs and charities, and has in particular been a strong sponsor of rescue teams across the country.
The Christmas Village
Our Christmas village is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. It is arguably the best marketing for Hafnarfjörður that has ever been done. The village attracts thousands of visitors each year and is not only a popular marketplace for various gift items, delicious treats, crafts and design, but the shops, cafés and restaurants of Hafnarfjörður also benefit from its presence. A visit to the Christmas Village has become a festive tradition for many families, groups of friends and individuals looking to experience a warm and relaxed Christmas atmosphere. Visitors come from all over the country, and there has also been an increase in foreign tourists visiting the village and the beautiful Icelandic Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður. The Christmas Adventure has also grown significantly in recent years. Notable highlights include the light display in Hellisgerði and the Heart Swamp, and it was also a great pleasure to welcome the RÚV programme Kastljósið to the town last Christmas Eve. The Christmas Village is a huge project that involves an incredible number of staff from the City of Hafnarfjörður, whether in its planning or in all the hands-on work involved in setup, maintenance and takedown. All these staff deserve praise.
Gudmundur Fylkisson
Guðmundur Fylkisson is recognised for, on the one hand, taking the 'Our Reykjavík Harbour' stream under his wing and caring for the birds there, and on the other, for his photographs of the town from the land and from the air. Gudmundur is perhaps best known for helping parents search for their children, or for young people who have strayed into trouble or misadventure. However, he is also a great friend of the birds, and ten years ago he noticed that the ducklings by the stream were not thriving and decided to take matters into his own hands. He obtained permission from the City of Hafnarfjörður to take the stream under his wing and had, among other things, a ramp built to make it easier for the birds to move between areas. Guðmundur also built a shelter over the duck nests on the islands to prevent seabirds from getting to the eggs and young. He is also diligent about feeding the birds and has encouraged others to do the same, especially during the severe frost of recent weeks and months. Since 2014, Guðmundur has also been active with his camera, taking a great many drone photos of Hafnarfjörður. There, he has, among other things, managed to document the town's architectural history by taking photographs of the main construction sites before work begins, during its progress, and after it is completed. Residents and expatriates have therefore been able to follow the town's development almost in real time in the Facebook group 'Hafnarfjörður and Hafnfirðingar'. Everyone is also permitted to use the photos.
