The Bar Industry in Larvik: An Analysis of Companies, Statistics, and Outlooks

The bar industry in Larvik has been marked by fluctuations in recent years, with a mix of stable businesses and a few bankruptcies. In 2025, there are 9 companies in the sector, with 45 employees and NOK 15.5 million in sales revenue. One of the most notable trends is the rising sales growth after 2021, which reached 22.2% in 2025. At the same time, the number of employees increased by 2.2% from 2025 to 2026, indicating a gradual upturn in the sector.

A key challenge, however, is bankruptcy risk. One of the registered companies, Cornerlarvik As, was declared bankrupt in 2026, showing that risk factors still exist in the industry. This should be carefully considered by entrepreneurs contemplating establishing themselves in Larvik.

The bar industry in Larvik has experienced significant fluctuations in sales revenue and number of employees in recent years. The development for bar companies in the municipality is shown below:

Key Figures:

• Largest sales growth: 22.2% from 2024 to 2025
• Largest decline: -35.4% from 2019 to 2020 (possibly influenced by the pandemic)
• Number of employees: Highest in 2017 (87), lowest in 2021 (36)

The most notable development has been the rising sales growth after 2021, which has led to an increase in both sales revenue and number of employees. This indicates a gradual recovery in the sector after a period of significant decline.

In Larvik, there are 9 companies in the bar industry. The most represented legal forms are AS (5 companies), with an average income per employee of NOK 472,900. Below is an overview of some of the key companies:

Notes:

• Aglen & Slyngstadli As has a negative EBITDA, indicating financial challenges.
• Storgata Pub As and Skomakeren have both positive EBITDA and higher sales revenues.
• Cornerlarvik As has been declared bankrupt, showing that risk factors still exist in the industry.

The bar industry in Larvik is most concentrated in Larvik itself, where 4 companies are registered with 38 employees and NOK 15.7 million in sales revenue. In Stavern, 1 company is registered with 9 employees, but this company has no sales revenue or operational income.

Key Figures for Larvik:

• Sales Revenue: NOK 15.7 M
• Number of Employees: 38
• Operational Income: NOK 16.0 M
• EBITDA Margin: 2%

Key Figures for Stavern:

• Sales Revenue: NOK 0
• Number of Employees: 9
• Operational Income: NOK 0
• EBITDA Margin: 0%

This shows that Larvik is the most important area for the bar industry in the municipality, with clearly higher activity than Stavern.

The bar industry in Larvik has experienced both rising and declining trends in recent years. One of the most notable developments is bankruptcy risk, which has been a challenge for several companies. One of the most notable examples is Cornerlarvik As, which was declared bankrupt in 2026. This company had 0 employees, 0 sales revenue, and 0 operational income.

Key Figures for Bankruptcies:

• Number of companies in bankruptcy: 1
• Total number of employees in bankruptcy: 0
• Total sales revenue in bankruptcy: NOK 0

This shows that bankruptcy risk is an important challenge in the industry, and that it is necessary to carefully consider risk factors before establishing oneself in Larvik.

For entrepreneurs considering establishing themselves in the bar industry in Larvik, it is important to consider both opportunities and challenges. In recent years, there has been a rising sales growth after 2021, indicating a gradual recovery in the sector. This can be a good indication that there are opportunities for new companies in Larvik.

Key Figures for Entrepreneurs:

• Largest sales growth: 22.2% from 2024 to 2025
• Largest decline: -35.4% from 2019 to 2020
• Number of employees: Highest in 2017 (87), lowest in 2021 (36)

Recommendation:

• Consider establishing yourself in Larvik itself, where there is the most activity in the industry.
• Consider establishing yourself in Stavern with caution, as there is 1 company registered with 0 sales revenue.
• Consider establishing yourself in Larvik with caution, as there is 1 company registered in bankruptcy.

The bar/club sector in Larvik has a larger number of companies (10) than the bar sector (9), indicating that there are more opportunities for entrepreneurs in this broader sector. The development for bar/club companies in the municipality is shown below:

Key Figures:

• Largest sales growth: 22.2% from 2024 to 2025
• Largest decline: -50.8% from 2020 to 2021
• Number of employees: Highest in 2017 (87), lowest in 2022 (43)

Peer Companies:

• Craven Cottage Pub Da (Lia 8, 3280 Tjodalyng) has 0 sales revenue and 0 employees.

This shows that the bar/club sector has a larger number of companies than the bar sector, but that there is also greater variation in sales revenue and number of employees.

The bar industry in Larvik has been marked by fluctuations in recent years, but there is a rising sales growth after 2021, indicating a gradual recovery in the sector. This can be a good indication that there are opportunities for new companies in Larvik. At the same time, it is important to consider bankruptcy risk, as there is 1 company registered in bankruptcy in the municipality.

For entrepreneurs considering establishing themselves in Larvik, it is important to consider both opportunities and challenges. It is also important to consider business geography, as there is the most activity in Larvik itself, with 4 companies and 38 employees. This can be a good indication that there are opportunities for new companies in Larvik.