İhsan Helvacı , who continues the profession he inherited from his father in a 95-year-old halva shop in Izmir, has maintained 66 years in the profession. The halva maker, which has been serving its business in Basmane for almost a century, offers a nostalgic experience to visitors, and the secret of the centuries-old halva is attributed to its naturalness.
Helvacı, who continued his career in the 95-year-old halva shop inherited from his father in Izmir, said everything in the workplace gives visitors an atmosphere of nostalgia.
As the family’s third generation member of the halva-tahini shop, which opened in 1928, İhsan, 76, proudly continues his career, which he started as an apprentice with his father at the age of 10.
Ihsan Helvacı, who opens and closes his workplace at the same time every day, produces his products in his workshops in Akhisar, Manisa, and then brings them to his shop in Izmir and sells them. Uncle İhsan’s nephew, Kemal Helvacı, also moves the historical shop to the internet and delivers the centuries-old taste to customers from there.
Photos: Ömer Evren Atalay – AA
Helvacı said the workplace is a nostalgic image for the people of Izmir by not changing items such as cabinets, chairs and showcases. While the marble, showcase and materials used in the shop are over 70 years old, the workplace bears traces of history with this feature.
Stating that he started his career at the age of 10, İhsan Helvacı said, “Everything we sell here is daily, completely natural. It does not contain any preservatives; it is our own property.
“Our shop was opened by our father, Mehmet Helvacı, in 1928. We were born in Izmir and grew up in this shop. So we started doing our father’s job. I had two more brothers, they passed away. I run the shop now. I started this profession when I was 10 years old and I have been in this shop for as long as I can remember. I still continue to work.”
In Basmane, one of the historic neighborhoods of Izmir, a confectioner who has been in business for 95 years takes customers on a journey into the past. İhsan Helvacı, who has spent approximately 65 years of his life in this shop, continues to work with furniture, display cases, cabinets, chairs, and tools that are as old as he is.
“My nephew also sells our products on the internet. I only sell here. In this way, we are moving our nostalgic shop to the internet.”
Touching on the benefits of halva on the human body, İhsan said, “When halva is eaten, it will not burn the throat and will not be too sweet. These are the tips of halva. Halva also has many health benefits that cannot be described. This has been scientifically proven.
“It is very beneficial for children in the developmental age. It is very beneficial for mothers. I request fathers to consume this halva for the sake of your child’s health. It is beneficial to many parts of the body. It is beneficial to the brain, internal organs, stomach and intestines.
“We have winter months ahead of us. The weather is slowly starting to cool down. It would be beneficial to eat halva for breakfast on winter days. I appeal to your children, grandchildren, mothers and fathers; feed halva, tahini and molasses. They have great benefits.”