Clothing Stores in Tønsberg: Industry Analysis and Development Trends

Overview of Clothing Stores in Tønsberg

Tønsberg has an active clothing store sector with 108 registered companies in the municipality, according to 2025 data. In recent years, the sector has shown both strength and instability: sales reached a peak of NOK 531.5 million in 2024, followed by a sharp decline of 37.5% in 2025. Employment has been more stable, with a slight decrease from 453 to 409 employees between 2024 and 2026. One of the most notable development trends is the bankruptcy of Poppi As in Tønsberg, which indicates a certain level of risk in the sector.

The clothing store sector in Tønsberg has shown increasing sales growth up to 2024, with an annual increase of +1.2% in 2023–2024. This was however abruptly halted by a sharp decline of 37.5% in 2025, which may be due to external factors such as economic pressure or changes in customer behavior. Employment has been more stable, with a decrease of 3.3% from 2024 to 2025, but a slight increase in 2026. The highest gross profit margins in the sector are 2837% in Tønsberg, but this is largely influenced by extreme figures such as NOK 12,840.2 million in gross profit for a single company.

Tønsberg has 16 registered clothing stores in the data, with a dominant organizational form of AS (45 companies). The most well-known companies include H&M, Bogart, Kappahl, and Lindex, all of which have been in operation since the 1980s and have higher sales and employees than newer companies. One of the most interesting observations is Sofies Villa Tønsberg As, which had a 35% increase in sales in 2025, indicating potential for growth in the sector. On the other hand, Anouska Tønsberg As and B.young Revetal are registered with zero sales and employees, which may indicate previous bankruptcy or a new start.

Clothing stores in Tønsberg are most concentrated in Tønsberg city center, with 39 companies and 371 employees. Revetal and Tolvsrød also have activity, but with fewer companies (5 and 1 respectively). Tolvsrød has a negative sales growth of -24% in 2025, which could be a warning for new companies in the area. Sem has no activity in the data, which may indicate lower interest in clothing stores in this part of the municipality.

The industry has been marked by individual bankruptcies, such as Poppi As in Tønsberg, which had zero sales and employees in 2025. This shows that there may be a certain level of risk in the sector, especially for smaller companies. On the other hand, companies such as Sofies Villa Tønsberg As and New Yorker 80002 Tønsberg have shown greater stability, with high EBITDA margins (13% and 19% respectively). There is also a large variation in gross profit margins, from 42% in Tolvsrød to 2837% in Tønsberg, which may be due to different business models or cost structures.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs in the clothing store industry in Tønsberg, there are both opportunities and challenges. The biggest challenge is the sharp decline in sales of 37.5% in 2025, which may indicate weaker customer demand or economic pressure. However, there are opportunities in Tønsberg city center, where there are many companies and higher sales. Entrepreneurs should also be aware of competition, especially from large chains such as H&M and Kappahl, which have higher sales and employees. It may be profitable to focus on specialized markets, such as knitting stores or second-hand stores, which are less competitive.

The broader creative, arts, and entertainment activities sector in Tønsberg has 151 companies, showing that it is a larger and more diversified industry than clothing stores. Sales in this sector had a greater increase of +4.4% in 2023–2024, compared to +1.2% in the clothing store industry. This may indicate more stability in creative industries, such as shoe stores and knitting stores. Entrepreneurs in the clothing store industry should also look at peer companies in this sector, such as Euro Sko Tønsberg Farmandstedet and Husfliden Tønsberg As, which have higher sales and employees than many clothing stores.

The clothing store industry in Tønsberg has both strengths and weaknesses. It is an active sector with many companies, but it has also been marked by a larger decline in sales in 2025. Entrepreneurs should be aware of competition and economic pressure, but there are also opportunities in Tønsberg city center and in specialized markets. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and analysis tools to better understand the market in Tønsberg.