ÅOOMI in the World: Helen Cafe

In this ÅOOMI in the World feature, we speak with Weronika Muszkieta, founder of Helen café and Projekt Rośliny. She shares her journey in building these creative spaces, the inspiration behind them, and why ÅOOMI ceramics are a perfect fit for her new concept.
11.5.2024
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11.5.2024

What are the biggest challenges of managing a food business?

Helen is a café and a bar, open from morning to evening, seven days a week. I think the biggest challenge is to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that our place is a great destination for all of our customers at any time. This is my first time co-creating a business like this, so despite the challenges, I am beyond excited about this experience.

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Helen is the name of my favourite artist, Helen Frankenthaler.
How did you come up with the name Helen?

It took us some time to find the perfect name. One day, over a glass of wine, I had a brainstorming session with my friend, and we came up with the name Helen. We thought it sounded really nice with the word “café,” and the whole name was aesthetically pleasing. Interestingly enough, one of my favorite artists is Helen Frankenthaler. We also discovered a bit later that Helen was the name of the Kardashian sisters’ grandmother, so we believe it is a premise for great success!

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You also own Projekt Rośliny — a concept focused on arranging interiors with plants. How do you compare working with those two businesses?

On one hand, they are from completely different worlds, but on the other, I can find some common factors in both. I think the main thing is the energy that unites these two endeavors and our aim of making people feel better. Plants affect people’s quality of everyday life, and Helen is a space that allows you to relax and enjoy your time. Both projects also require creative collaboration and finding ideas where often the sky is the limit.

What’s your all-time favorite thing to eat and drink at Helen?

My favorite snack is the vegetarian BLT tramezzini. They’re a bit controversial as we use pure white bread, which is not the trend nowadays. The bread is baked in special square forms, so the sandwiches don’t have a crust. Tramezzini come from Italy and are a traditional quick bar snack — the word tramezzo literally means something temporary, something you eat between bigger meals.

My favorite drink, on the other hand, is the vanilla oat milk matcha. I drink it every day!

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What do you think about Wroclaw as a city for small and creative business owners?

It’s sometimes tricky to own a business here, but I believe that when you do something that truly comes from your heart, people in the city really appreciate it. Wroclaw inhabitants are open to new types of places opening up in their city, and I don’t mean only food places. There’s definitely space for new concepts, and a lot of them are located outside the city center (just like Helen), which makes them more accessible to people from different neighborhoods.

Why did you choose ÅOOMI ceramics for Helen?

I chose ÅOOMI, because it’s extremely practical and it works well with anything aesthetically. The light, delicate colors of IRIS and SAND collections fit into our interior with great ease, and the capacity of the cups are just perfect for our beverage recipes. They are also extremely durable: in spite of heave use on a daily basis, ÅOOMI ceramics doesn’t chip or break at all.

I am connected with the brand right from the beginning of my previous business Projekt Rośliny (which is eight years now), and it was the most obvious thing for me to have your ceramics in my new place!

I chose ÅOOMI, because it’s extremely practical and it works well with anything aesthetically.
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I chose ÅOOMI, because it’s extremely practical and it works well with anything aesthetically.
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