Industry · municipality
The Clothing Store Industry in Asker: Companies, Statistics, and Outlooks
A detailed analysis of the clothing store industry in Asker municipality based on local data and market trends for entrepreneurs and local decision-makers.
Brief overview of the clothing store industry in Asker
The clothing store industry in Asker is an important part of the municipality's economy, with 156 registered companies. In recent years, the industry has experienced both increases and decreases in sales and employee numbers. It is a mix of large chains and local companies, with variations in financial health and operating margins. A key challenge is fluctuating sales volume, especially after 2020, while employee numbers have shown a more stable trend in recent years. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal locations in Asker for clothing stores, based on local data and market trends.
Economic trends and operating margins
Sales and employees in the industry
- Sales: The industry reached a peak in 2022 with sales of NOK 632.7 million, but fell to NOK 495.1 million in 2023 before a mild increase to NOK 525.7 million in 2024. In 2025, sales were NOK 521.8 million, showing a weak but stable trend.
- Employees: The number of employees declined from 821 in 2016 to 661 in 2021, but has since stabilized at 797 employees in 2026. The most significant increase was recorded in 2022 (from 661 to 752 employees).
Operating Margins
- EBITDA margins range from 4–11 %, with variations between companies. The most profitable companies have EBITDA margins above 10 %, while some have negative values (e.g., Høyer Outlet Slependen As and Dorothea Interiør Og Klær Avd Holmen).
Economic Dynamics
- There are no registered bankruptcy proceedings in the industry, but some companies have negative EBITDA values or very low sales (e.g., Blue Tomato Norway As and Høyer Outlet Slependen As). This may indicate economic challenges for certain companies.
Registered companies and organizational forms
Registered companies in the industry
A total of 16 companies are registered in the industry with detailed data, although there are 156 companies in total in the municipality. The most well-known companies include:
- Varner As (Billingstad): 411 employees, high EBITDA margin of 11 %, but zero sales.
- H&M Hennes & Mauritz As (Nesbru): 20 employees, EBITDA margin of 4 %.
- Cubus Trekanten Avd 932 (Asker): 15 employees, EBITDA margin of 9 %.
- Kappahl As Avd 416 Slemmestad (Slemmestad): 13 employees, EBITDA margin of 11 %.
Organizational Forms
- Most companies are ASs (48 companies), while two are Enk (sole proprietorships). ASs dominate with higher numbers of employees and operating margins compared to Enk companies.
Geographic distribution of activity
Distribution of activity in the municipality
The clothing store industry is most active in the following areas:
| Area | Number of companies | Number of employees | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billingstad | 7 | 460 | 34.3M | 11% |
| Asker | 17 | 157 | 126.8M | 10% |
| Nesbru | 7 | 70 | 72.4M | 6% |
| Slemmestad | 8 | 62 | 47.0M | 4% |
| Heggedal | 2 | 17 | 11.0M | 4% |
Observation: Billingstad and Asker are the most actively operating areas, with higher numbers of employees and sales compared to other areas.
Operational efficiency and bankruptcy situation
Operational efficiency and bankruptcy risk
- Bankruptcy: There are no registered bankruptcy proceedings in the industry, but some companies have negative EBITDA values or very low sales (e.g., Høyer Outlet Slependen As and Dorothea Interiør Og Klær Avd Holmen). This may indicate economic challenges for certain companies.
- Operating Margins: The most profitable companies have EBITDA margins above 10 %, while some have negative values. This shows that the industry has a wide variation in financial health.
- Stability: Most companies have stable operations, with few major changes in employee numbers or sales over time.
Outlook for entrepreneurs in the clothing store industry
Outlook for entrepreneurs
The clothing store industry in Asker shows a mix of stability and challenges. With a stable number of employees and a weak but stable sales volume in recent years, it may be possible to establish oneself in a competitive market. Key points for entrepreneurs:
- Competitiveness: There are many companies in the industry, especially in Billingstad and Asker, which can provide both competitive pressure and opportunities for collaboration.
- Operating Margins: Companies with high EBITDA margins (above 10 %) can be good models for entrepreneurs to follow.
- Market Changes: Sales have shown fluctuations, especially after 2020, which may indicate a need for flexibility and adaptation to customer preferences.
SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal locations and strategies to establish themselves in Asker, based on local data and market trends.
Outlook in relation to the broader industry
Comparison with the broader industry
The clothing store industry is part of the broader creative, arts, and entertainment activities sector in Asker, which has 208 companies. The broader sector shows a weaker sales trend compared to the clothing store industry, with a decline from NOK 702.6 million in 2022 to NOK 562.7 million in 2023. However, the broader sector has a stable number of employees (887 in 2026) and higher total sales.
Peer companies in the broader industry
| Company | Industry | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) | Number of employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurosko Holmensenteret | Shoe Store | 30.0M | 3.1M | 12 |
| Eurosko Trekanten | Shoe Store | 21.7M | 2.2M | 10 |
| Magnussen Eurosko Rortunet | Shoe Store | 18.6M | 1.9M | 8 |
| Lana Norge As | Knitwear Store | 8.0M | 327.0K | 18 |
Observation: The broader sector has a greater variation in industries, including shoe stores, knitwear stores, and second-hand stores. The clothing store industry has a higher EBITDA margin compared to some of the peer companies, but the competitive pressure is significant.
Other companies in kreative, kunst og underholdningsaktiviteter (not in clothing store)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurosko Holmensenteret | footwear store | Vogellund 6, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 30.0M | 12 | NOK 3.1M |
| Eurosko Trekanten | footwear store | Knud Askers vei 26, 1384 | NOK 21.7M | 10 | NOK 2.2M |
| Magnussen Eurosko Rortunet | footwear store | Rortunet, 3470 Slemmestad | NOK 18.6M | 8 | NOK 1.9M |
| Elite As Avd Asker | footwear store | Knud Askers vei 26, 1384 | NOK 8.4M | 5 | NOK 549.7K |
| Lana Norge As | knit store | Devikrabben 28, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 8.0M | 18 | NOK 327.0K |
| Momi Garn Og Hobby As | knit store | Knud Askers vei 18C, 1384 | NOK 1.2M | 1 | NOK 11.0K |
| Antiquus Boutique&café As | second-hand goods store | Røykenveien 142C, 1386 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Antiquus Kaminska | second-hand goods store | Bondistranda 2, 1386 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bagbrokers Plus As | footwear store | Skytterveien 200, 1386 Asker | NOK 0 | 4 | NOK 0 |
| Bukta Kjos Bruktbutikk | second-hand goods store | Helledamsveien 25, 3430 Spikkestad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Chic & Brukt Da | second-hand goods store | Slemmestadveien 432, 1390 Vollen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Crassus Chahal Sirkel | second-hand goods store | Sandekra 18, 1396 Billingstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Ele Bunader As | national clothing store | Granittåsen 67, 3480 Filtvet | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Ele Bunader As | national clothing store | Granittåsen 67, 3480 Filtvet | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Eletec As | knit store | Øvre Gunnaråsen 51A, 3475 Sætre | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Enlitenby | second-hand goods store | c/o Henrik Wærnes|Grobråtenveien 15, 1385 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Fretex Miljø As Avd Butikk Asker | second-hand goods store | Strøket 3, 1383 Asker | NOK 0 | 9 | NOK 0 |
| Germundson Rebuild It | second-hand goods store | Gullhellaveien 19, 1386 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Gullslottet As | second-hand goods store | Alfheim 39, 1384 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Happy Hegepuz As | knit store | Østre Strandvei 52, 3482 Tofte | NOK 0 | 3 | NOK 0 |
| Jo Sølve Media Jo S Strand | second-hand goods store | Torstadveien 18B, 1396 Billingstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Jonathan Onarheim Salg | footwear store | Nesveien 11C, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kloke Hender As | knit store | Øraveien 5C, 3475 Sætre | NOK 0 | 3 | NOK 0 |
| Kløvstad Digital | footwear store | Nordengkollen 48, 1396 Billingstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kosmisk K Pop Sterud | second-hand goods store | Granveien 42B, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kosmisk K Pop Sterud | second-hand goods store | Granveien 42B, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kristiansen Netthandel | knit store | Isveien 61, 1390 Vollen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kultur Og Miljø | second-hand goods store | Fabrikkveien 34, 3482 Tofte | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Miljøsofa Slemmestad As | second-hand goods store | Eternitveien 4, 3470 Slemmestad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Mortensen Heidi | knit store | Bleikeråsen 219, 1387 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Old School Gaming As | second-hand goods store | Lundekroken 34, 1396 Billingstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Omigjen As | second-hand goods store | Sjøvollbukta 2D, 1390 Vollen | NOK 0 | 8 | NOK 0 |
| Salim Handel | second-hand goods store | Lundekroken 1, 1396 Billingstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Skattekista | second-hand goods store | c/o Gry Hegna Nilsen|Hageveien 8, 3482 Tofte | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Skjerm Og Sjarm Karlsen | second-hand goods store | Apalstien 19, 1387 Asker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Skoja Da | footwear store | Asker terrasse 11, 1384 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Tetlie Konsept | second-hand goods store | Solstuveien 12B, 1389 Heggedal | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Timbio Silje Martine Haugerud | footwear store | Syverstadkollen 62A, 1394 Nesbru | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Titt Innom Da | knit store | Vollenv 182, 1389 Heggedal | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Trådlab By Ljunggren | knit store | Myrveien 28A, 1397 Nesøya | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
Conclusion and future opportunities
The clothing store industry in Asker shows a mix of stability and challenges. With a stable number of employees and a weak but stable sales volume in recent years, it may be possible to establish oneself in a competitive market. Key points for entrepreneurs include focusing on operating margins, locating in the most active areas (such as Billingstad and Asker), and adapting to market changes. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal locations and strategies to establish themselves in Asker, based on local data and market trends.