The good sides of Mersin

My last article about Mersin received quite a lot of criticism. After the piece, several people said, “Professor, are there no good sides to Mersin at all? You have only described its bad aspects.” ( https://12punto.com.tr/yazarlar/atif-unaldi/mersine-geleceklere-oneriler-142305)

Following this, I decided to write about the good sides of Mersin as well.

Of course, they exist. And there are quite a few of them, not to be underestimated.

Moreover, I am not just talking about the sea, the weather, the coastline, or the food. What makes a city livable is not just its geography. People who do their jobs well in that city, visionary entrepreneurs, businesses trying to put forward something different, institutions investing in the future, and small details that improve the quality of life are just as important as these.

I believe Mersin has significant potential. I also think this potential is not being utilized enough. That was, in fact, somewhat at the root of my previous criticisms. However, this does not mean that there are no very good things being done in the city.

This time, I want to write about the people, institutions, businesses, and projects in Mersin that I like, find successful, or sometimes simply feel happy about their existence.

I have divided the list into four groups: Values, Shining Stars, Hidden Gems, and Casual Spots. I have also added a few brands I would like to see in Mersin at the end.

This is not an award list. Nor is it the result of a scientific study. It is entirely based on my observations, experiences, and personal preferences.

Values

The values of a city are not just the cultural heritage inherited from its past. People and institutions that contribute to that city, bring a different perspective, and add value to their environment are also the values of that city.

Sabri Tekli

One of the names I see as an important value of Mersin is Sabri Tekli, Chairman of the Board of the Mersin-Tarsus Organized Industrial Zone.

I believe that in the development of a city, the people at the head of institutions are as important as the institutions themselves. Because management is not just about maintaining the existing structure; it means being able to see the future, take responsibility, and give direction to the institution you are in.

In this respect, I see Sabri Tekli as one of the valuable names of Mersin.

He is one of the people who contributes to Mersin with the responsibilities he has undertaken for many years, his experience in the business world, and his institutional work. Moreover, he is not just a businessperson concerned only with his own work; he also carries out studies on issues such as university-industry cooperation, the training of young people, and the support of new ventures.

A city needs such people. People who produce value beyond their position, who do not shy away from taking responsibility, and who try to contribute to the city they live in.

I think Sabri Tekli is such a name for Mersin.

Ken’s Restaurant

When I want to see a different approach to management and gastronomy in Mersin, one of the places that comes to mind is Ken’s.

It has an approach that reminds one of the restaurant culture in Northern Europe, especially in Scandinavian countries. The issue is not just food. A restaurant’s identity, operational discipline, approach to the customer, and the atmosphere it creates are also important.

Ken’s is one of the examples showing that something different can be done in Mersin outside of the accustomed restaurant understanding.

I care about the presence of such businesses in a city. Because encountering different standards also changes the expectations of customers.

SBA Yuva

I care deeply about the emergence of different approaches regarding early childhood in Mersin. One of these is SBA Yuva, with its approach inspired by the Japanese educational philosophy.

One of the issues that caught my attention in Japan’s early childhood approach is the importance given not only to children acquiring knowledge but also to gaining daily life skills, learning to act together, showing respect for their environment, and developing responsibility.

I find SBA Yuva’s effort to bring this understanding to nursery and day care services in Mersin valuable.

In the early childhood period, the social and emotional development of children, the relationships they establish with their peers, and their gaining independence are extremely important. For this reason, I think that approaches that do not settle for just providing care services but address the development of children in a holistic way should multiply.

The fact that SBA Yuva operates in Mersin with such an understanding also creates a different option for families in the city.

The development of a city is not measured only by its roads, buildings, or shopping malls. It is also measured by the environment it offers to its children.

Shining Stars

Under this heading, there are projects, initiatives, and brands that I think have brought a new breath to Mersin. Some are local investments, while others are national or international brands that I have wanted to see in the city for a long time.

Ekinci İnşaat – Nefes

Nefes, which I think is one of the most beautiful projects in Mersin recently, is an example that the city can also produce more ambitious work in terms of architecture.

I do not find it right for a housing project to be evaluated only by how many square meters it is, how many apartments it consists of, or its sales price. The quality of living spaces, the architectural approach, and the resulting integrity are much more important.

In this respect, I see Nefes as one of the projects that adds value to Mersin.

Nerissa MEFA

Nerissa MEFA is likewise one of the projects that I think contributes to the development of Mersin.

Real estate investments play an important role in the development of cities. However, not every new building moves the city forward. What is important is not just to produce structures, but to be able to create livable spaces.

I evaluate Nerissa MEFA as one of the positive steps taken in this direction.

Özge Fennibilek Academy Ballet School

One of the initiatives in Mersin that truly makes me happy.

Ballet training itself is already important. However, it is especially valuable to me that the Özge Fennibilek Academy Ballet School does not remain limited to classical ballet but also works on contemporary dance.

Contemporary dance is important in terms of art reinterpreting itself, establishing relationships with different disciplines, and developing new forms of expression.

I find it extremely precious that children and young people in Mersin can be introduced to such fields.

We cannot measure the cultural development of a city only by the number of its concert halls or theaters. It is also necessary to look at how much art is produced in that city and how it is transferred to new generations.

Serpil’s Forest School

I have always cared about approaches that go outside the accustomed molds in education.

Serpil’s Forest School is one of the places that caught my attention in Mersin in this respect.

The Forest School approach is an understanding that prioritizes children establishing a direct relationship with nature, learning by experiencing, discovering, and developing independence.

Instead of placing the child between four walls and explaining the world only through books, allowing them to experience the world directly is an important approach.

I am pleased that Serpil’s Forest School represents such an understanding in Mersin.

Especially in the early childhood period, the presence of alternative approaches also enriches the options a city offers to families.

Quick China

It hasn’t come to Mersin yet, but it is one of the businesses I am already looking forward to.

It is pleasing that Quick China, which I know from Ankara, is preparing to come to Mersin. Moreover, I find their choice of a local operator correct.

The fact that a brand is successful in another city does not mean it will show the same success in every city. It is important to know the local market, to know the expectations of the city, and to adopt the right management approach.

I hope Quick China will be successful in Mersin.

Macrocenter

Years ago, in an article I wrote for Bloomberg Businessweek, I mentioned the brands I wanted to see in Mersin. One of them was Macrocenter.

Thank goodness, they didn’t disappoint me. They came.

I do not evaluate Macrocenter’s coming to Mersin only as the opening of a new market. It is also important in terms of access to different products, the diversification of shopping culture, and the rise of consumer expectations.

Increasing options in a city directly affects the quality of life.

Pandora

One of the brands I wanted to come to Mersin was Pandora.

It came too.

I find it important for international brands to invest in Mersin. Because these investments also mean that the commercial potential of the city is being recognized.

Of course, every brand does not need to be in every city. However, I do not find it right for a large city like Mersin to remain outside the investment plans of some brands for a long time.

Pioppo

If you ask which is the best ice cream shop in Mersin, my answer is Pioppo.

We live in a city that is ambitious about ice cream. Therefore, making such an evaluation is not easy.

However, I really like Pioppo’s products and the quality they put forward.

Sometimes you don’t need to talk about big projects to describe the good sides of a city. A good ice cream shop is also a part of that city’s quality of life.

Flying Tiger

This brand has a bit of a family story for me.

When I went to Istanbul, I would buy some products my wife wanted from Flying Tiger and bring them to Mersin.

Now there is no need for that. Because Flying Tiger has come to Palm City Shopping Center.

These are developments that seem small but make daily life easier.

I like Flying Tiger’s different design understanding and the fun approach it brings to everyday products. I also see its presence in Mersin as positive in terms of the city’s shopping options.

Boynuince Jewelry

Local businesses have a special importance in the commercial life of Mersin.

For this reason, I want to evaluate Boynuince Jewelry among the shining stars.

A city does not develop only with brands coming from outside. It is also necessary for businesses emerging from within to grow, create brand value, and gain a long-term commercial identity.

I care about the strengthening of Mersin’s local brands at least as much as international brands coming to the city.

Hidden Gems

In every city, there are places that do very good work but are not as well-known as they deserve to be.

Sometimes they don’t have large advertising budgets. Sometimes their locations are not very striking. And sometimes people go to the same places all the time because of their habits.

There are such businesses in Mersin as well.

Hmbrgr.

If you ask me, they make the best hamburger in Mersin.

Located on the top floor of Forum, Hmbrgr. is one of the businesses that I find truly successful in terms of hamburgers.

In fact, I have a suggestion for them: I think they should also open in the Marina.

Because I would like a good product to reach more people. Especially in a field like hamburgers where competition is intense, being able to stand out with product quality is important.

Kıskaç

When it comes to seafood, many options may come to mind. However, what makes Kıskaç special for me is the crab.

In my eyes, this is more of an address to go to eat crab than a general seafood restaurant.

Moreover, I see it as a place that can be preferred not only in a certain season but at any time of the year.

Specializing in a certain product and being known for that product is an important success in terms of management.

I think Kıskaç has achieved this.

Defne Tantuni

When Mersin is mentioned, one of the first foods that comes to mind is tantuni.

However, there is an issue I have been drawing attention to for a long time regarding tantuni: Hygiene.

Although there are many tantuni shops in the city, it is not always easy to find a clean, well-maintained business where you can sit comfortably and that cares about product quality.

Defne Tantuni is a positive example in this respect.

This is not an ordinary tantuni shop. It stands out with its cleanliness, well-maintained environment, and the care it shows for its products.

I think a product identified with Mersin like tantuni should be presented with higher management standards. Defne Tantuni shows that this can be done.

Casual Spots

Every good business does not need to be flashy.

In fact, there are some places that, if they were too flashy, would lose all their character.

For me, being casual does not mean being sloppy. On the contrary, sometimes it means preserving sincerity, naturalness, and the unique character of the business.

Arkadaş Ciğer

If you ask me to recommend a casual place in Mersin, one of the first addresses that comes to mind is Arkadaş Ciğer.

A few tables, an unpretentious environment, but always a friendly approach.

Sometimes what you expect from a business is very simple: Good food, sincere people, and an environment where you feel comfortable.

Arkadaş Ciğer is exactly such a place for me.

Every business does not need to grow, branch out, or become a big brand. It is also nice for some to remain as they are.

And then there are the ones we want to come

While talking about the brands that have come to Mersin, let me not pass without writing about the brands that haven’t come yet but that I want to come.

IKEA, Mr.DIY, H&M, Pinkberry, and Marks & Spencer.

I think each of these would have a different contribution to Mersin.

IKEA could contribute to home life and design culture, Mr.DIY to affordable daily necessity products, H&M to ready-to-wear options, Pinkberry to a different food and beverage experience, and Marks & Spencer to its unique product variety.

Considering Mersin’s population, economic potential, its relationship with surrounding provinces, and its regional pulling power, I think it is a market that should be evaluated by these brands.

I hope we will see these brands in Mersin in the near future as well.

Final word

The good sides of Mersin are, of course, not limited to this list.

There are surely people, businesses, and projects that I have forgotten, haven’t discovered yet, or don’t know well enough.

The purpose of this article is not to choose the best of Mersin anyway. It is to make the work done well visible.

Because for a city to develop, it is not enough to just criticize its mistakes. The work done correctly also needs to be noticed.

Mersin has important problems. Some of these have not been solved for many years. I have explained these in my previous articles, and I will explain them again when necessary.

But among all these problems, there are also people who do their jobs well, think differently, take risks, invest, produce, and add value to the city.

It is necessary to give them their due.

Perhaps this is exactly what Mersin needs most: The multiplication of good examples and those who do good work being examples to each other.

If there are places you want to add to this list, write to me.

Who knows, maybe a second article where we tell about the good sides of Mersin will come out.