Headquarters Stockholm, Sweden Founded 1899, Insjön, Sweden | CEO Gustaf Öhrn (Jun 2016–) Parent organization Axel Johnson AB | |
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Subsidiaries Kicks AB, Lagerhaus AB, Kicks Kosmetikkedjan AB, Esthetique Norge AS Founders Johan Petter Åhlén, Erik Holm | ||
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Åhléns ([oːˈleːns]) is a chain of Swedish department stores. With locations in almost every city in the country, including 18 in Stockholm alone as of March 2007, it is the fourth largest group of fashion stores in Sweden. Åhléns also has business operations in Norway.
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History
Åhléns began as a mail order business. It was created in 1899 by Johan Petter Åhlén and Erik Holm, in the little town of Insjön in the province of Dalarna. The name of the company was then “Åhlén och Holm” (Åhlén and Holm).
The first thing the company sold was a royal painting. Over 100 000 copies were sold, and it was very successful. The years went by, and Åhlén and Holm only got bigger. After only 10 years, JP Åhlén had a company with a worth of 1.5 million SEK and 255 employed workers. In 1915, the company was moved to Stockholm. Before he moved the company, JP Åhlén had secured a seven-floor storage room. Half of the employees came with him to Stockholm.
In 1932, JP Åhlén decided that he wanted to expand the business and create a retail trade store with low prices. So, he established the Tempo department store and opened it on Östermalmstorg in Stockholm. JP Åhlén died in 1939, leaving the companies to his oldest son. On the 50th anniversary (1945) of the establishment of Åhléns and Holm, his son could present a company worth 87 million SEK, and with an employment list of more than 2700 workers.
The mail order business was closed down in the 1960s, and a store called Åhléns City was opened in 1964 in the heart of Stockholm. In 1985, all the Tempo department stores re-branded as Åhléns. In 1988, Åhléns City was sold to Axel Johnson AB, which is owned by Antonia Ax:son Johnson.
The progress of Åhléns
The Åhléns stores have now been converted into department stores and moved upmarket, and now concentrate on four business areas: Fashion (Mode), Beauty (Skönhet), Homeware (Hem), and Media. Åhléns' loyalty card is called the Åhléns Club.
In 2009, Åhléns City's sales totalled 6,202 million SEK in stores, and the profit was 216 million SEK.