Our history

Our strong commitment to society is nothing new. It’s been there ever since the beginning in Insjön, Dalarna, in 1899.

All began in Insjön, Dalarna, when Johan Petter Åhlén and Erik Holm founded the mail-order company Åhlén & Holm in 1899.

Our first product was a royal portrait print that quickly became popular. Postcards and book publishing, such as Sagoprinsen and Bland tomtar och troll, illustrated by John Bauer, were the next successes. Under the name Åhlén & Åkerlund, they became one of Sweden’s leading book publishers.

The company’s growth was remarkable. In five years, we increased from 290 to 50,000 packages per year. And in 1915, Åhléns moved to Stockholm, where a seven-storey building was constructed by Skanstull.

After a trip to the United States, the company expanded by opening the Tempo Department Store in 1932, Sweden’s first of its kind. After J. P. Åhlén’s death in 1939, his son took over and led a new era for the company. The mail-order business was phased out in the 1960s, and focus shifted to the Tempo chain. In 1964, Åhléns City in Stockholm opened its doors.

During the 1970s, Åhléns merged with other major Swedish retail companies, including Epa. In 1985, all department stores were unified under the Åhléns name, and in 1988 the company became part of Axel Johnson AB.

The 1990s were a time of renewal and expansion, including the opening of stores in Norway. Åhléns introduced e-commerce in 2016 and launched the low-price chain Åhléns Outlet in 2018.

Today, Åhléns is a leader in Nordic retail, known for its innovation, quality and commitment. And we aim to continue inspiring you as a customer with our unique range and services—built on a tradition more than a hundred years in the making.

Historical highlights

Here we have gathered some of our historical milestones, from the start in 1899 to the present day.