On one of the small streets in central Halmstad, shop owners and craftsmen have moved together into a premises that previously housed an electronics store. Individually, they could not have afforded the rent – but together they have now created their own shop with many different activities. Here there is a clothing department with a seamstress, a gadget shop, a silversmith, a cafe and in the basement furniture upholsterers and carpenters. The benefits are not only financial:
– It’s completely new, everyone is actually a lone worker. There is always someone to bounce ideas off of or have lunch with, says Hannacharlotta Pantzar, who is a silversmith and the main person responsible for the store concept.
Could you have afforded this city location on your own?
– No, not a chance, she says.
A way to avoid bankruptcy
The tough situation for the stores can be seen in the bankruptcy statistics. According to the credit information company Creditsafe, 385 stores went bankrupt in the first months of the year. Grocery stores not included. That’s a 57 percent increase compared to 2022, which was the year the number of store bankruptcies began to rise.
With their investment in a joint store, the Halmstad retailers hope to avoid becoming part of that statistic.
– It is an experience for the customer to come here and I think customers like experiences, says furniture upholsterer Jenny Grahn, who does many collaborations together with wood craftsman Håkan Eriksson, who moved into the premises from the small town of Oskarström.
– I have had an increase in the number of requests. There is greater visibility here in Halmstad, he notes.
“Exciting and new”
The customers also seem to like the concept.
– Teaming up in this way feels a bit exciting and new for Halmstad, says Oskar Herrlin, who has just bought a two-tone terrycloth sun hat.
The store started as a pop-up project, but after almost a year of operation, everyone agrees that the investment is now permanent.
But can you compete with e-commerce?
– Yes I think so. You sort of want to feel and try on the clothes and so on. I think we will come back to what is real in some way, says Hannacharlotta Pantzar.