Hos Josefine in Gol, they think big

“Gol is a small town, but an important crossroads,” says Anita Gjengedal. “We have customers from all over the country, and a product range that combines both variety and exclusive brands.”

A major workplace

Gol has 5,000 inhabitants, and 30 of them work at Hos Josefine. Since Anita opened the store, turnover has grown from 600,000 to one hundred times that. Today, Hos Josefine serves customers across all of Norway.

“We think nationally, and our online store is just as important as the physical one.

“We’re located right on the main road between east and west — cabin owners, tourists, locals, everyone passes by. That allows us to carry a selection you’d expect to find in a much bigger city. “We think nationally, and our online store is just as important as the physical one. Half of our revenue comes from online sales. People discover us on Instagram, and the next time they’re in Hallingdal, they stop by. That connection between digital and physical retail is gold.”

Real people, real photos

Hos Josefine has a distinctive and authentic style. All the photos are taken by and of their own staff.

“We don’t use models. We do all the photos ourselves. Customers recognize the people from the store, and that builds trust. Big brands are using more and more AI and retouched images, while we stick to real people. It works better.”

Everything under one roof

The store covers five categories: women, men, junior, interior, and furniture.

“We build everything to fit together visually. Clothes, colors, textiles –everything should speak the same language,” says Gjengedal.

When Hos Josefine moved into new premises, they built a café and wine bar at the same time.

“We wanted a place where people could sit down, eat, and have a glass of wine. It makes the visit calmer and the experience richer.”

“We need to support the Norwegian textile industry. It’s knowledge, jobs, and identity.

Norwegian design

Whenever possible, Hos Josefine buys Norwegian brands.

“We need to support the Norwegian textile industry. It’s knowledge, jobs, and identity. When we have a Norwegian alternative, we choose it.”

She also notes that colors and styles must suit Norwegian conditions.

“We have six months of darkness and snow. We need color. If everything turns grey, life turns grey. We choose warm tones even when trends point elsewhere.”

The people behind

Many of the staff have been with Hos Josefine for years.

“The first person I hired, Janne Navrud, still works here. Many start as teenagers, come back after their studies, and stay. That’s our culture,” says Gjengedal.

She believes the key is to give people responsibility.

“If everything has to go through one person, everything stops. I want people who know more than I do.”

Gjengedal has long been engaged in vocational training for the retail trade.

“Retail has been undervalued. That needs to change. That’s why I pushed Texcon and Virke to create a training model — and now it’s happening.”

Repair, not replace

Hos Josefine has reduced product complaints by more than 60 percent by handling everything themselves.

“We repair what can be repaired. It’s better for the environment and for the customer,” says Gjengedal.

If a customer returns with torn pants, they’re told they won’t get a new pair — they’ll be repaired instead. And if the customer doesn’t live near Gol, that’s no problem. Hos Josefine ships nationwide.

Community and future

Anita Gjengedal uses Texcon actively and values the network highly.

“When we started the menswear department, I got help from three other Texcon stores,” she says.

She believes the future lies in combining strong local roots with national reach.

“Gol isn’t a limitation. It’s our foundation — and a big part of our identity,” concludes Anita Gjengedal.