Industry · municipality
The Clothing Retail Industry in Skien: Business Statistics, Companies, and Outlook
A detailed analysis of the clothing retail industry in Skien municipality based on market data and company information.
Executive Summary
Overview of the Clothing Retail Industry in Skien
The clothing retail industry in Skien is an important part of the local business structure. In 2025, there are 79 companies registered in this industry, with 272 employees and a total sales volume of NOK 244.8 million. There is a significant decline in sales compared to 2024 (NOK 384.8 million), but the industry has shown resilience over time, with periods of strong growth in 2022 and 2023. There is also one bankruptcy case registered, which shows that the industry is not without challenges.
Economic Overview
Sales and Employee Development (2016–2025):
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees | Year-over-Year Change in Sales | Year-over-Year Change in Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 335.6M | 369 | - | - |
| 2017 | 331.7M | 348 | -1.2% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 312.6M | 343 | -5.8% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 314.3M | 328 | +0.5% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 283.7M | 299 | -9.7% | -8.8% |
| 2021 | 299.6M | 277 | +5.6% | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 344.4M | 294 | +14.9% | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 372.3M | 309 | +8.1% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 384.8M | 312 | +3.4% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 244.8M | 272 | -36.4% | -12.8% |
Key Figures:
- Sales experienced strong growth from 2020 to 2023, but fell sharply in 2025.
- The number of employees declined in 2025, but remained stable in most years.
- The industry has shown variation in sales and employees over time, but has largely been stable.
Companies in the Industry
There are 79 companies registered in the clothing retail industry in Skien, but only 16 of these are detailed in the dataset. The most well-known companies include:
- Lager 157 As Avd Skien (29 employees, NOK 46.2M in sales)
- H&M Hennes & Mauritz As Avd 848 Herkules (24 employees, NOK 43.0M in sales)
- Cubus Herkules Skien Avd 838 (21 employees, NOK 33.0M in sales)
- Lindex As Avd Skien (12 employees, NOK 13.2M in sales)
- New Yorker 80007 Skien (12 employees, NOK 25.3M in sales)
Organizational Form:
- Most companies are AS (35 companies), which indicates that this is the dominant organizational form in the industry.
Business Geography
Activity in Skien:
| Place | Number of Companies | Number of Employees | Sales (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skien | 35 | 280 | 372.3M |
Conclusion:
- Activity in the clothing retail industry is concentrated in Skien itself, with 35 companies and 280 employees.
- There is no detailed data about other areas in the municipality, but it is clear that Skien is the main hub for the industry.
Business Dynamics
Bankruptcy Statistics:
- There is 1 bankruptcy case registered in the industry in 2025: Skien As at Prinsessegata 2A (sales NOK 3.8M, EBITDA NOK -293.0K, 0 employees).
Conclusion:
- The industry has been stable over time, but there is one bankruptcy case registered in 2025, which shows that there are challenges in the industry.
- There is no detailed data about other bankruptcy cases, but it is clear that the industry is not without challenges.
Outlook
Outlook for Entrepreneurs
Conclusion for Entrepreneurs:
- The industry has shown stability over time, with periods of strong growth and decline.
- There is one bankruptcy case in 2025, which shows that there are challenges in the industry.
- There is a large number of companies in the industry, which indicates that it is competitive.
- Entrepreneurs should consider strategies for managing variations in sales and employees.
- There are opportunities to establish themselves in Skien, but there are also challenges that need to be considered.
Outlook for Creative, Arts, and Entertainment Activities
Conclusion for Entrepreneurs:
- Creative, arts, and entertainment activities are a broader category that includes the clothing retail industry, but has more companies (136 companies) and higher sales (NOK 330.7M in 2025) compared to the clothing retail industry.
- Peer companies in creative, arts, and entertainment activities include:
- Herkules Euro Sko (NOK 17.0M in sales, 13 employees)
- Strikkepinnen Skien As (NOK 9.8M in sales, 7 employees)
- Fretex Miljø As Avd Butikk Skien (NOK 21.5M in sales, 8 employees)
Conclusion:
- Creative, arts, and entertainment activities are a larger category with more companies and higher sales.
- Entrepreneurs should consider opportunities in this category, but also challenges that need to be considered.
Other companies in kreative, kunst og underholdningsaktiviteter (not in clothing store)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herkules Euro Sko | footwear store | Ulefossvegen 32, 3730 Skien | NOK 17.0M | 13 | NOK 1.2M |
| Strikkepinnen Skien As | knit store | Ulefossvegen 40, 3730 Skien | NOK 9.8M | 7 | NOK 422.0K |
| Fretex Miljø As Avd Butikk Skien | second-hand goods store | Bedriftsvegen 114, 3735 Skien | NOK 21.5M | 8 | NOK 409.2K |
| Amundsen A Skotøyforretning | footwear store | Liegata 7, 3717 Skien | NOK 5.6M | 4 | NOK 408.0K |
| Østlandet Brukt & Antikk As | second-hand goods store | Myren 5A, 3718 Skien | NOK 6.9M | 4 | NOK 338.0K |
| Store Mæla Gård Antik Da | second-hand goods store | Mælagata 41|Stallmannsvingen 1, 3716 Skien | NOK 1.2M | 1 | NOK 126.0K |
| Husfliden As | national clothing store | Nedre Hjellegate 2, 3724 Skien | NOK 7.0M | 14 | NOK 43.0K |
| Abdulamir Og Sally Agatsteiner | second-hand goods store | Venstøplia 24, 3721 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Ad Astra Telemark As | second-hand goods store | C/O Gisle Halvorsen|Rødborge 4, 3711 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Antikk Duestien As | second-hand goods store | Byfogd Paus gate 5, 3717 Skien | NOK 0 | 2 | NOK 0 |
| Arif Africa | knit store | Duestien 11, 3717 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bjarne Gustafsson | second-hand goods store | Oscarsg 14, 3725 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dowlo As | knit store | Nedre Hjellegate 13, 3724 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dr Ing David Di Ruscio | second-hand goods store | Sveene 48, 3731 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dødsbo Og Edelmetall Omsetning As | second-hand goods store | Myren 5A, 3718 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dødsbo Og Edelmetall Omsetning As | second-hand goods store | Myren 5A, 3718 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Grenland Antik Da | second-hand goods store | Bølevegen 32, 3724 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Grenland Rusomsorg | second-hand goods store | c/o Ole Holmen|Åfossmyra 23, 3731 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Hespegarn.no Meland | knit store | Bjørn Farmanns gate 37, 3746 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Iversen Nummer 8 | second-hand goods store | Svalevegen 13, 3742 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kledo As | second-hand goods store | Århusvegen 109, 3721 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo 7 As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo 8 As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Fredrikstad As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 11 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Kristiansand As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 10 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Larvik As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Norge As | second-hand goods store | Eikornrødvegen 75, 3713 Skien | NOK 0 | 6 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Porsgrunn As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 10 | NOK 0 |
| Loppo Sandefjord As | second-hand goods store | Grønlikroken 2, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 12 | NOK 0 |
| Låven Antikt Og Annet Ans | second-hand goods store | Trommedalsv 214, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Magnussen Spesialsko Skien | footwear store | c/o Drevelin|Infanterivegen 22, 3734 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Moen & Halvorsen Ans | footwear store | c/o Henrik Moen|Rundåsvegen 35, 3740 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nenset Brukthandel Ans | second-hand goods store | Porsgrunnsv 239, 3736 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Norull Norge Seppola | knit store | c/o Georg Orset Høydal|Nensetvegen 51A, 3736 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nummer 8 | second-hand goods store | Svalevegen 13, 3742 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Pelianto As | second-hand goods store | Bjønnkamvegen 11, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Pelianto As | second-hand goods store | Bjønnkamvegen 11, 3735 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Seworganized Marte Harling Nilsen Enk | knit store | Kjerringteigen 4, 3733 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Shoeday Herkules | footwear store | Ulefossvegen 32, 3730 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Siguråst Tøybleia | knit store | Skotfossvegen 232B, 3720 Skien | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
Conclusion
The clothing retail industry in Skien is an important part of the local business structure, with 79 companies and 272 employees. The industry has shown stability over time, but has also been subject to variations in sales and employees. There is one bankruptcy case in 2025, which shows that there are challenges in the industry. Entrepreneurs should consider strategies for managing variations in sales and employees, and SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Skien for this industry.