Industry · municipality
Home Goods Store Industry in Oslo: A Comprehensive Analysis
Key Insights on Sales, Employment, and Business Opportunities in Oslo's Home Goods Store Sector
Executive Summary
Industry Overview
The home goods store industry in Oslo is an important part of the local business structure. With over 295 companies registered in the municipality, data shows a relatively stable industry with variations in sales and employees over time. The industry has been marked by both rising and falling trends, especially after 2020, and there are several actors who have managed to adapt to market conditions.
Brief overview of key data:
- Sales: 11.92 billion NOK in 2025 (decrease from 2024)
- Employees: 1026 in 2025 (stable in the short term)
- Bankruptcies: 1 company in 2025 (Steelwick As)
- Organizational forms: 100 AS and 1 NUF
- Geographic focus: Activity mainly in Oslo city center and areas such as Alnabru and Stortorvet
Economic Overview
Sales and employee development:
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Sales change from previous year | Employees | Employee change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1732.6M | +3.4% | 1169 | +12.2% |
| 2017 | 1791.5M | +3.4% | 1312 | +12.2% |
| 2018 | 1410.1M | -21.3% | 1036 | -21.0% |
| 2019 | 1456.8M | +3.3% | 1035 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 1804.5M | +23.9% | 1023 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 2119.3M | +17.4% | 1114 | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 1458.7M | -31.2% | 1059 | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 1415.9M | -2.9% | 1061 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 1449.9M | +2.4% | 1042 | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 1192.0M | -17.8% | 1026 | -1.5% |
Key points:
- Sales had a significant decline of -31.2% from 2021 to 2022, but stabilized somewhat in 2023 and 2024.
- Employees have been relatively stable at 1000+ over the past few years, with minor variations.
- The industry has been marked by large variations in sales, but has shown gradual improvement after 2022.
Companies in the Industry
Top companies in the industry:
| Company | Address | Organizational form | Employees | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oda Norway As Avd Oslo Salg | Kjølberggata 31, Oslo | AS | 65 | 491.9M | -10.2M |
| Illums Bolighus Norge As Avd Haakon Viiis Gate Oslo | Haakon VIIs gate 10, Oslo | AS | 63 | 92.3M | 5.0M |
| Illums Bolighus Norge As Avd Stortorvet Oslo | Stortorvet 9, Oslo | AS | 58 | 88.5M | 4.8M |
| H & M Hennes & Mauritz As Avd 008 Arket Bogstadveien | Bogstadveien 45, Oslo | AS | 41 | 38.2M | 1.7M |
| Interiørdesign As | Karenslyst allé 57, Oslo | AS | 31 | 148.1M | 510.0K |
Organizational forms:
- AS (Joint-stock company): 100 companies, 1079 employees, 1926.1M in operating income
- NUF (Business association): 1 company, 1 employee, 681.0K in operating income
Characteristics:
- Most companies are ASs, indicating that the industry is dominated by larger, organized businesses.
- There is some variation in sales and EBITDA between companies, with some having negative EBITDA values.
Business Geography
Activity distributed across locations in Oslo:
| Location | Number of companies | Number of employees | Operating income (NOK) | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oslo | 101 | 1080 | 1926.8M | 1837.9M | 73.3M |
Analysis:
- Activity in the industry is mainly concentrated in Oslo city center, with a large number of companies and employees.
- There is no detailed data on distribution across sub-areas, but it is likely that activity is highest in areas with high population density and large customer base, such as Stortorvet, Alnabru, and Bogstadveien.
- There are no indications that activity has spread to peripheral areas in Oslo.
Business Dynamics
Bankruptcies and financial challenges:
| Company | Address | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) | Employees | Total debt (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelwick As | Solveien 109D, Oslo | 24.2M | 6.4M | 0 | 26.6M |
Analysis:
- Steelwick As is the only company in the industry that has gone bankrupt in Oslo. This company had a negative operating result of -4.4M NOK and a high debt of 26.6M NOK.
- There are no indications that other companies in the industry have been in a bankruptcy situation, which suggests that the industry has generally been stable on the financial side.
- However, there is some variation in financial results, with some companies having negative EBITDA values, which may be a signal of increased challenges for certain actors.
Outlook
Outlook for Entrepreneurs
Development trends and opportunities:
- The industry has shown stability in the number of employees over the past few years, with an average level of 1000+ employees.
- Sales have been more volatile, with a significant decline in 2022, but a gradual improvement in 2023 and 2024.
- There are growth opportunities in the industry, especially in areas with high population density and a large customer base.
- Competitiveness is important, and it is possible that companies with strong financial results and high operating margins will have an advantage in the future.
- SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in Oslo to start a home goods store business, with a focus on areas with a high customer base and good accessibility.
Outlook for Financial Services
Contrast between financial services and home goods store:
| Category | Number of companies | Number of employees | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial services | 585 | 2205 | 3174.2M | 1.4M |
| Home goods store | 295 | 1026 | 1192.0M | 6.4M |
Analysis:
- Financial services have a much larger number of companies (585) compared to home goods store (295), indicating that this is a more widespread and diversified industry.
- Sales in financial services are higher (3174.2M NOK) compared to home goods store (1192.0M NOK), but EBITDA in financial services is lower (1.4M NOK) compared to home goods store (6.4M NOK).
- Employees in financial services are higher (2205) compared to home goods store (1026), indicating that this is a more labor-intensive industry.
- Peer companies in financial services include, among others, bookstore, art gallery, and photo shop, indicating that this is a more diversified industry compared to home goods store.
- SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in Oslo to start a home goods store business, with a focus on areas with a high customer base and good accessibility.
Other companies in finansielle tjenester (not in home goods store)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Must As | bookstore | Haakon VIIs gate 2, 0161 Oslo | NOK 0 | 4 | NOK 75.3M |
| Ark Bokhandel As Avd Hovedkontor | bookstore | Sehesteds gate 4, 0164 Oslo | NOK 106.7M | 60 | NOK 15.6M |
| Galleri K Art As | art gallery | Bjørn Farmanns gate 4, 0271 Oslo | NOK 527.7M | 0 | NOK 10.3M |
| Outland Oslo | bookstore | Grensen 5-7, 0159 Oslo | NOK 123.7M | 41 | NOK 8.9M |
| Norli Universitetsgata, Oslo | bookstore | Universitetsgata 20, 0162 Oslo | NOK 108.6M | 48 | NOK 8.1M |
| Norli Hovedkontor | bookstore | Universitetsgata 20, 0162 Oslo | NOK 103.3M | 62 | NOK 7.7M |
| Rusta Retail As Avd 353 Alnabru | home goods store | Strømsveien 258, 0668 Oslo | NOK 60.0M | 26 | NOK 7.0M |
| Studio Kvänum Oslo As | home goods store | Drammensveien 123, 0277 Oslo | NOK 75.9M | 17 | NOK 6.9M |
| Steelwick As | home goods store | Solveien 109D, 1162 Oslo | NOK 24.2M | 0 | NOK 6.4M |
| Ark Egertorget Oslo Avd 3600 | bookstore | Øvre Slottsgate 23-25, 0159 Oslo | NOK 42.3M | 25 | NOK 6.2M |
| Cewe Norge As Avd 19 | photography shop | Slimeveien 6B, 1275 Oslo | NOK 116.8M | 91 | NOK 4.3M |
| De Norske Bokklubbene As | bookstore | Sehesteds gate 4, 0164 Oslo | NOK 73.3M | 8 | NOK 4.3M |
| Osl Contemporary As | art gallery | Haxthausens gate 3, 0263 Oslo | NOK 13.2M | 6 | NOK 4.2M |
| Norli Eldorado, Oslo | bookstore | Torggata 9A, 0181 Oslo | NOK 49.0M | 26 | NOK 3.7M |
| Ark Bogstadveien | bookstore | Bogstadveien 40, 0366 Oslo | NOK 18.1M | 10 | NOK 2.7M |
| Ark Grünerløkka Oslo Avd 3900 | bookstore | Thorvald Meyers gate 55, 0555 Oslo | NOK 18.1M | 12 | NOK 2.7M |
| Ark Aker Brygge Oslo Avd 3100 | bookstore | Stranden 5, 0252 Oslo | NOK 16.1M | 10 | NOK 2.4M |
| Ark Lamberseter Senter Avd 3250 | bookstore | Langbølgen 9, 1150 Oslo | NOK 16.1M | 16 | NOK 2.4M |
| Ark Linderud Senter Avd 3950 | bookstore | Erich Mogensøns vei 38, 0594 Oslo | NOK 16.1M | 9 | NOK 2.4M |
| Ark Oslo Sentralstasjon Avd 1004 | bookstore | Jernbanetorget 1, 0154 Oslo | NOK 16.1M | 10 | NOK 2.4M |
| Visor As | home goods store | Østre Aker vei 24B, 0581 Oslo | NOK 19.5M | 5 | NOK 2.2M |
| Ark Byporten Oslo Avd 1001 | bookstore | Jernbanetorget 6, 0154 Oslo | NOK 14.1M | 8 | NOK 2.1M |
| Viken Musikk As | art gallery | Bogstadveien 72B, 0366 Oslo | NOK 14.0M | 6 | NOK 2.0M |
| Ark Kiellands Hus Oslo Avd 2600 | bookstore | Waldemar Thranes gate 72, 0175 Oslo | NOK 12.1M | 7 | NOK 1.8M |
| Ark Oslo City Avd 1007 | bookstore | Stenersgata 1, 0050 Oslo | NOK 12.1M | 9 | NOK 1.8M |
| Ark Sæter Torg | bookstore | Nordstrandveien 42, 1163 Oslo | NOK 12.1M | 7 | NOK 1.8M |
| Ark Tveita Senter Avd 4100 | bookstore | Tvetenveien 150, 0671 Oslo | NOK 12.1M | 7 | NOK 1.8M |
| Ark Ullevål Stadion Avd 2100 | bookstore | Sognsveien 75, 0855 Oslo | NOK 12.1M | 8 | NOK 1.8M |
| Adlibris.com As | bookstore | c/o Bonnier Forlag|Universitetsgata 20, 0162 Oslo | NOK 141.6M | 0 | NOK 1.8M |
| Søstrene Grene Markveien | home goods store | Markveien 35, 0554 Oslo | NOK 21.4M | 11 | NOK 1.7M |
| Ark Holmlia | bookstore | Holmliaveien 75, 1255 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 7 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Manglerud Senter Avd 3900 | bookstore | Plogveien 6, 0679 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 11 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Oppsal | bookstore | Haakon Tveters vei 88, 0686 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 6 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Røa Senter Avd 2400 | bookstore | Vækerøveien 205, 0751 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 5 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Sandaker Senter Avd 2800 | bookstore | Sandakerveien 59, 0477 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 8 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Solli Plass Oslo Avd 3000 | bookstore | Drammensveien 20, 0255 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 5 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Stovner Senter Avd 4000 | bookstore | Stovner Senter 3, 0985 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 8 | NOK 1.5M |
| Ark Vinderen Oslo Avd 3450 | bookstore | Holmenveien 5E, 0374 Oslo | NOK 10.1M | 7 | NOK 1.5M |
| Cewe Norge As Avd 22 | photography shop | Jernbanetorget 6, 0154 Oslo | NOK 38.8M | 27 | NOK 1.4M |
| Ark Alna Senter Avd 4150 | bookstore | Alna Senter|Strømsveien 245, 0668 Oslo | NOK 8.0M | 7 | NOK 1.2M |
Conclusion
Home goods store industry in Oslo is an important part of the local business structure, with over 295 companies registered in the municipality. The industry has shown some variations in sales and employees over time, but has shown gradual improvement after 2022. There are opportunities for growth in the industry, especially in areas with high population density and a large customer base. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in Oslo to start a home goods store business, with a focus on areas with a high customer base and good accessibility.