A consumers' co-operative society was founded in the Old Student Hall in October 1905. Its purpose was to provide reliable foodstuffs, to do business, and to run restaurants. The co-op's business really got going with the opening of Elanto's own bakery on May 1, 1907. In the same period the first shops were opened.
     In the 1910's, the Siltala business building (designed by Olli Tarjanne) was erected in Siltasaarenkatu street. The building housed such outlets as the Elanto café, and when it was put up for sale a few years later, Elanto bought it

for a handsome three million marks. A chemist's, a grocer's, a butcher's, a baker's, a dairy shop, a shoe store, a clothes shop and two restaurants were established in the new building. One of the restaurants was a modern canteen. The co-operative store Elanto and Helsinki's co-operative shop HOK joined forces and the new HOK-Elanto got started on New Year's Day, 2004. With the merger of the two companies, Elanto of Hakaniemi became Sokos of Hakaniemi.