Shopping

Ulricehamn with its beautiful location is often described as the pearl of Lake Åsunden. The remains of the historic riding roads, that used to be an important trading site, today make up the town’s pedestrian area.

Traders have sold their wares along the charming pedestrianised street in Ulricehamn since the Middle Ages. The street is lined with pictureque buildings and retail premises, and offers a wonderful blend of famous chain stores, exciting boutiques and shops.

Many of the buildings along the pedestrian street were built in the early 18th and 19th centuries. This is a relaxing and unhurried place to visit and enjoy. The shopping along the pedestrian street is varied with everything from clothes and homewares to smaller delicatessens selling exciting cheeses and tasty chocolate. The wide selection means that we can offer our customers a unique shopping experience. Every year the City Association arranges spring and autumn markets and around Christmas the shops stay open longer and there are lots of activities in the streets.

The market is on a smaller scale, but fruit & vegetables, bread & cakes, flowers, fabrics, clothes and delicatessen are on offer. Visitors can also choose between a large number of restaurants and cafes. A well-deserved coffee break or a tasty meal is just what you need after a few hours of shopping.

There are some parts of Sweden that are characterised by hard work, thrift, inventiveness and the ability to survive. One of them is the Gällstad region in the county of Västergötland. 

The reason for these skills is that there have never really been any good times. Historically the soils have been meagre and stony, forcing people to work long days. The level of education has been low and people have had to pay with their bodies through hard labour. These conditions have hardened and united the people of the area, while at the same time created pride. A Pride of what has been created, a Pride in our values and a Pride in our region.

For decades textiles of the very best quality have been made in the Gällstad region, but the flair for handling yarns and knitting fine garments goes back a lot longer than that. Gällstad is close to Ulricehamn and Borås. This used to be the border region between Denmark and Sweden and many of our forefathers had a pronounced talent for trade. They travelled far and wide and were allowed to cross the border with, among other things, yarns, fabric, knitted socks and mittens. These travelling salesmen went under the name ‘Knallar’.

Over time Gällstad became known for its knowledge of textiles and ready-to-wear clothing, and a centre for factory-knitted garments once electricity became commonly used. Our region is to fashion and the textile industry what the glasswork region is to the county of Småland. You could say that Gällstad is the equivalent of Kosta, that is, a village which is a quality mark in itself and well worth a visit. Today the knitting machines are busy, managed by people from a long line of craftsmen and with the tradition of arts and craft in their bones and a feeling for fashion at their fingertips.

As the knitting operations have grown, the surplus from the production has increased. This surplus is sold at so called factory sales around the region. Common to all the factory sales is the idea to sell stock items and seconds at significantly reduced prices. This guarantees that you will always get a good deal when you visit Gällstad. Over the years more shops offering a varied range of items have established themselves. You can now also buy homewares, furniture, shoes and other accessories. The opening hours have been extended and you can now shop any day of the week.

For more information contact the tourist office!

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