A Storytelling Walk Through Łódź: Day 1 of the Work with Myths Workshop 🇵🇱✨
The first day of the Work with Myths workshop in Łódź, Poland unfolded as an inspiring exploration into the city’s industrial soul and myth-infused creativity. Representatives from FM-EPICHEIREIN (Greece 🇬🇷), Le Vie dei Tesori (Italy 🇮🇹), and MSK (Poland 🇵🇱) were immersed in how history, legend, and cultural identity can transform into modern entrepreneurial success stories.
From 19th-century factory spaces to niche museums and creative hubs, Łódź became the perfect living canvas to showcase how storytelling, memory, and design become tools for business innovation.
🚒 A Historic Beginning: Fire Station & Introduction to the City
The journey began at one of Łódź’s oldest fire stations — a symbolic entry point into the city’s industrial heritage. The red-brick building served as a visual reminder of the city’s working-class roots and entrepreneurial rise in the 19th century.
🏭 Księży Młyn Museum: Where Industry Meets Storytelling
The group walked to the Księży Młyn Museum, a former factory complex that today stands as a monument to Łódź’s transformation. Through an insightful guided tour, participants explored how entrepreneurs like Karol Scheibler shaped the city’s textile empire — a true “rags to riches” story.
With authentic exhibits and restored industrial architecture, the museum highlighted how narrative tourism and industrial legacy can inspire future business models.
✨ Business Insight: Stories of industrial entrepreneurs, when told with authenticity, can generate long-lasting engagement in education-based tourism and cultural branding.
🎭 Museum of the Doll: Puppetry, Memory, and Niche Business
Next stop was the whimsical Museum of the Doll, a cultural gem rooted in Łódź’s tradition of puppetry and animation. By weaving together childhood nostalgia, fairytales, and local identity, the museum demonstrated how even niche cultural elements can spark sustainable micro-businesses.
✨ Business Insight: Cultural specificity — when paired with strong narrative — can lead to unique attractions with strong emotional impact.
🎨 Łódź Design Center: From Textile History to Creative Futures
The workshop continued with a visit to the Łódź Design Center, an inspiring space where design meets heritage. Located in a former textile production facility, the center now hosts local designers who draw on the city’s industrial past to create innovative products with strong identity branding.
✨ Business Insight: Marrying local history with contemporary design enhances authenticity and increases export potential for creative products.
🍽 A Taste of Stories: Fatamorgana & the Old Market Square
After a full morning of cultural exploration, participants enjoyed lunch at Fatamorgana, a restaurant nestled in the Księży Młyn complex. Surrounded by original red-brick architecture and infused with industrial charm, Fatamorgana blends culinary experience with storytelling. The name “mirage” reflects the city’s historic image as a land of dreams and opportunity.
Later, the group walked through the Old Market Square (Stary Rynek) — the legendary birthplace of Łódź — where myths of the city’s origins and multicultural identity continue to shape local narratives. Though quiet today, the square remains a powerful symbol of community, memory, and rebirth.
✨ Business Insight: Whether through food or folklore, embedding your venture in a compelling story fosters emotional connection and adds value to customer experience..
🏰 A Palace of Power: Izrael Poznański’s Legacy
Just a short walk from the square, the group arrived at the Izrael Poznański Palace, often called the “Louvre of Łódź” — a towering symbol of industrial wealth, vision, and ambition. Once the residence of one of the most influential textile magnates in Europe, the palace now serves as a museum and cultural landmark, preserving not only the story of one man but the economic and urban transformation of the entire city.
Its grandeur, intricate design, and opulence echo the mythic tales of kings and titans — not of Olympus, but of industry. In a city where mythical gods were replaced by industrial giants, Poznański’s legacy stands tall as a modern legend of power, vision, and legacy.
✨ Business Insight: Even in places where ancient myths are limited, the personal narratives of entrepreneurs can become new myths — stories that shape place identity, inspire communities, and fuel local pride.
🧵 From Industry to Identity: Ending the Day with Symbolism and Flavor
The day concluded at Manufaktura, a former textile factory complex transformed into one of the city’s most vibrant cultural and commercial hubs. Blending heritage architecture with modern experiences, it stands as a powerful example of how urban legends and historical legacy can drive creative entrepreneurship.
To close the evening, participants gathered for dinner at Karczma “U Chochoła”, a traditional Polish inn located on Piotrkowska Street. The name “Chochoł” refers to the straw figure from Stanisław Wyspiański’s iconic play The Wedding — a symbol of memory, stagnation, and rural myth.
With folk-inspired cuisine and an atmosphere rooted in Polish symbolism, the restaurant offered not just a meal, but a cultural experience steeped in allegory.
As participants reflected on the day, it became clear that myths don’t always come from ancient times — they are also built through the people, places, and meanings we choose to preserve. Łódź may not have Olympus, but it holds its own legends — born from resilience, reinvention, and imagination.
🙏 A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful hosts at MSK for their hospitality, coordination, and for guiding us through such a rich and meaningful experience in their city.
