Headline: Blivakker Expands: New Store Coming to Stavanger by Summer
In a strategic move to have a certain number of stores by 2026, Norwegian retail chain Blivakker has chosen Stavanger as its next natural location. The new store, set to occupy a 350 square meter space in Mediegården, Stavanger’s city center, will be Blivakker’s eighth physical outlet.
Stavanger was selected over other regional shopping centers after a thorough evaluation. Espen Wetrhus, head of Blivakker’s physical stores, confirmed the news to local newspaper RA Stavanger. He also revealed that the new store will create around 10-15 jobs and is expected to open this summer.
This expansion follows a shift in the perspective of net trade pioneer Einar Øgrey Brandsdal, who now believes in the potential of physical stores. Last January, Fædrelandsvenn reported that Brandsdal plans to open 10-15 stores nationwide in the coming years. Blivakker already has outlets in Kristiansand, Oslo, Lillestrøm, Ski, Ålesund, and Jessheim.
Wetrhus further hinted at plans for Trondheim, with Bergen, Bodø, and Tromsø also on the radar. Brandsdal, originally skeptical about physical stores, now views them as a driving force for growth, having previously feared they would hinder online sales. "I was completely against physical stores," he admitted to Fædrelandsvenn. "But in 2017, a supplier insisted we open a physical outlet. I was very upset, but it turned out to be a great decision."
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