Sleeping & Living
Through his chain of bed linen stores, Lars Larsen developed his strategy of bulk-buying quality products cheaper than his competitors - and selling them cheaper too, making the customer the winner. JYSK’s business is built on a wide range of great offers brought to the market thanks to clever purchasing. Its reputation continues to grow thanks to its willingness to pass these savings onto customers. The result is a unique company culture that is plain-speaking, straightforward and down-to-earth.From the very beginning Mr. Larsen wanted JYSK to become a market leader. Since 1979, JYSK has evolved into an international organisation with 17,000 staff, stores in most European countries, the Middle East and Canada and a turnover of EUR 2,5 bn.The History of JYSK:2011• In September JYSK wins in three awards, when FEIFA awarded Europe’s best communications effort. JYSK wins an award for 'photo of the year' for the image featured on the front cover of the staff magazine GO JYSK, also the 'Special Merit Award for the career newspaper and an award for 'best newspaper' for the trainee newspaper.• On 23 May JYSK launched its own TV-channel on www.JYSK.tv. • On 7 April JYSK Nordic opens its first store in Serbia, in Subotica.• In 2011 Lars Larsen was ranked as the 304th richest person in the world, in the American business magazine; Forbes, which calculates Lars Larsen's assets to $ 3.6 billion.2010• On 15 November JYSK Denmark launches a web-shop. • In September JYSK’s staff magazine - GO JYSK – was awarded staff magazine 2010 in Denmark. A month later GO JYSK was awarded the second best staff magazine in Europe.• In April this year JYSK was granted the title of Purveyor of Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark.• On 29 April, JYSK Nordic opens its first two stores in China in Shanghai.• On 25 March, JYSK Nordic opens its first two stores in Bosnia-Hercegovina in Sarajevo and Vitez.2009• On 3 April, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first three stores in Spain, in Ondara and Gandia near Valencia, and in Cartagena near Murcia.• On 2 April, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first store in Italy, in Serravalle Scrivia near Genoa.• On 2 April JYSK celebrates its 30th anniversary and launches an interactive story about the history of the company.• On 26 March, JYSK Nordic opens its first store in Croatia in Zadar.2008• JYSK Nordic opens Northern Europe's largest warehouse in Uldum in Mid-Jutland. The warehouse currently has an area of 64,000 m2. • On 29 May, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Macedonia in Tetovo. • On 10 April, JYSK Nordic opens its first two stores in Slovenia, in Murska Sobota and Brezice. • On 4 April, JYSK Nordic opens its first two stores in the UK, in Lincoln and Mansfield.2007• On 17 November, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Albania, in the capital city of Tirana.• In July, JYSK Franchise closes for the second time in Russia.• On 15 June, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Dubai.• On 11 June, Lars Larsen receives King Frederik IX's Honorary Award which is presented by His Royal Highness Prince Henrik in recognition of Lars Larsen's valuable contribution to Danish export.• On 10 May, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first store in France just outside Paris.• On 15 March, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Romania in Oradea.2006 • On 20 November, Lars Larsen has a street named after him. The Municipality of Tørring-Uldum dedicates Lars Larsens Vej to him as a means of thanking JYSK for building Northern Europe's largest warehouse in Uldum in Mid-Jutland.• JYSK Nordic opens a new warehouse in Radomsko, Poland. The warehouse currently has an area of 40,000 m2.• On 26 October, JYSK Nordic opens its first store in Slovakia in Trenčín. • On 28 September, JYSK Nordic opens its first four stores in Holland, in Arnhem, Zoetermeer, Heerhugowaard and Lelystad.• On 26 August, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Kazakhstan in Almaty.• On 30 March, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first two stores in Switzerland, in Baar and Bülach.2005 • On 1 September, store number 1,000 opens in the German town of Dingolfing.• In July, JYSK Franchise opens up for the second time in Russia in Moscow.• On 19 May, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Bulgaria in Plovdiv.• On 7 April, JYSK Nordic opens its first store in Hungary in Fót, outside of Budapest. 2004• On 29 October, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Ukraine in Kiev.• On 2 April, JYSK celebrates its 25th anniversary, and Lars Larsen sends out 2.4 million copies of his autobiography to all Danish households.• On 12 February, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Kosovo in Pristina.2003• On 30 April, JYSK Nordic opens its first store in the Czech Republic in Prague.2002• In June, Lars Larsen is nominated "World Entrepreneur of the Year" in the accountancy firm Ernst & Young's internationally recognised growth creation competition.• In September, the stores in Norway change their name from Norsk Sengetøylager to JYSK.• On 7 June, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Estonia in Tallinn.2001• In November, Lars Larsen is named Entrepreneur of the Year in Denmark.• On 26 April, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Lithuania in Vilnius.• JYSK receives the Gift to the Earth award from the World Wildlife Fund for its work with the Tropical Forest Trust, which JYSK co-founded in 1999.• In April, stores in Denmark, Sweden and Finland change their name from Jysk Sengetøjslager, Jysk Bäddlager and Jysk Vuodevarasto to JYSK.2000 • JYSK Nordic opens a warehouse in Nässjö in Sweden. The warehouse currently has an area of 55,000 m2.• Lars Larsen becomes the majority shareholder of the Internet-based furniture company www.bolia.com, which currently has showrooms in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany and China.• JYSK Bed’n Linen closes in the United States.• On 4 April, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first store in Austria in Vocklabruck.• On 25 March, JYSK Nordic opens its first store in Poland in Gdansk.• On January 1st JYSK’s founder and owner, Mr. Lars Larsen, officially steps down as CEO of JYSK and becomes executive chairman of JYSK Holding. Meanwhile, Mr. Jan Bøgh is promoted from purchasing manager to CEO of JYSK Nordic.1999• On 1 July, JYSK Franchise enters into partnership with the furniture store Muebles Piramides Puerto in Malaga, Spain.• Jysk Sengetøjslager co-founds the Tropical Forest Trust, which works to secure the tropical rain forests. The Trust currently has more than 80 members worldwide.1998• Larsen Travel is acquired by the Swiss company Kuoni. • Lars Larsen celebrates his 50th birthday on 6 August.• In May, JYSK Franchise closes in Russia.1997• Dänisches Bettenlager opens a warehouse in Zarrentin, Germany. The warehouse currently has an area of 86,800 m2.1996• On 7 June, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Latvia in Riga.• In May, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Russia in Moscow.• On 10 February, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Canada, in Coquitlam outside Vancouver.• Dänicshes Bettenlager's three-year trainee course commences. Currently, approximately 500 trainees complete the course every year.• Norsk Sengetøylager's two-year trainee course commences. Currently, approximately 80 trainees complete the course every year.1995• On 4 May, Jysk Vuodevarasto opens its first store in Finland in Turku.1994• Dänisches Bettenlager opens a warehouse in Homberg, Germany with a current area of 64,200 m2. 1992• On 14 March, the first JYSK Bed'n Linen opens in the United States, in Shrewsbury, south of New York City.• Jysk Sengetøjslager's two-year trainee course commences in Strandby near the Liim Fiord in Denmark. Currently, approximately 200 trainees complete the course every year.1991• On 1 May, Jysk Bäddlager opens its first store in Sweden in Malmoe.1990• Lars Larsen sets up Larsen Travel, which sells budget package holidays for destinations around the world.1989• Jysk Sengetøjslager becomes main sponsor of the Danish Disabled Athletics Association and remains its main sponsor to this day. Later JYSK also becomes the main sponsor for disabled sports associations in Norway and Sweden. JYSK Franchise also supports disabled sport in Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.1988• On 22 September, Norsk Sengetøylager opens its first store in Norway in Stavanger.• A year after the successful regional advertisements, Mr. Lars Larsen can be seen in nationwide TV commercials on TV 2. He is among the very first of the Danish business owners to use himself and his profile in a commercial way.1987• On 8 October, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Iceland in Reykjavik.• JYSK’s founder and owner, Mr. Lars Larsen, is among the first in Denmark to use TV commercials when he appears on regional TV channel ‘TV South’. His ‘great offers’ lead to success for JYSK.1986• On 2 October, JYSK Franchise opens in the Faroe Islands.• Lars Larsen becomes partner of Himmerland Golf & Country Club. 1984• On 1 April, Dänisches Bettenlager opens its first store in Germany in Flensborg. • On 12 April, JYSK Franchise opens its first store in Greenland, in Nuuk.1980• The company's first advertising supplement is released.1979• On 2 April, the world's first Jysk Sengetøjslager opens in Aarhus, Denmark, where it still operates today.
