#004｜A Trip Back to Hötorget in the 1950s

A Retro Surprise in the Subway Station｜📍1950s Advertising Aesthetics at Hötorget

Stepping into Stockholm's Hötorget subway station today, I was immediately drawn to two enormous vintage posters. The station underwent restoration between 2024–2025, and its current appearance is closer to its original 1950s style—and these posters are one of the highlights from that era.



👀 The first is Apotekarnes' "Visst katten" poster. A green-eyed, red-nosed cat recommends their water with a "you know it~" look. "Visst katten" literally means "of course, the cat," but in Swedish, it's more like a playful exclamation: "Of course!"


🪑 The second is an advertisement for TOY Swedish chewing gum. A stick of chewing gum, wearing a hat, is casually lounging. The slogan "ta’t lugnt, ta en TOY" is simple and cute: "Take it easy, have a TOY."


These two posters are not just nostalgic; they are a microcosm of Swedish humor, design sensibility, and everyday aesthetics. Encountering them in the subway station feels like being gently transported back to the 1950s within the city—an unexpected retro mini-trip~