Salling department store will open a 3,000-square-metre store in Knud Højgaards Hus on Kultorvet in central Copenhagen in the summer of 2026, marking the chain’s first presence in the capital and coinciding with Salling Group’s 120th anniversary. The Copenhagen opening extends a legacy that began in Aarhus in 1906 and in Aalborg in 1964.
A compact format tailored to the city centre
Salling confirms a smaller, curated format for Copenhagen compared with its 22,000-square-metre flagship in Aarhus. The new site will focus on fashion, footwear, beauty and lifestyle, with a café and bar opening directly onto Kultorvet.
The choice of Knud Højgaards Hus—a renovated post-war landmark that formerly housed Copenhagen Main Library—aligns the project with the city’s architectural and sustainability standards.
Omnichannel strategy behind the move
According to retail analysts, Salling is leveraging a showroom-like department store to serve a substantial base of online customers in Copenhagen and Zealand. The store will integrate Click & Collect and access to Salling’s full online assortment, reflecting a wider trend in which digital-first retailers add physical touchpoints to improve service, returns and brand visibility.
The Copenhagen unit thus operates as a hub in an omnichannel network rather than a traditional standalone emporium.
Rooftops, culture and the ‘third place’ effect
Salling plans rooftop events with 360-degree views over the city on selected days, echoing the popular Salling Rooftops in Aarhus and Aalborg. Cultural programming and open public spaces are central to the concept, tapping into the idea of the department store as a “third place”—a venue where people meet, dwell and experience, not just purchase. After a decade dominated by e‑commerce, this experience-led retail aims to bring shoppers back in person.
Salling department store and the Copenhagen retail mix
The arrival of a Salling department store adds competition to an already dense premium-retail corridor anchored by Magasin du Nord and Illum. Industry observers expect the move to raise the bar on service and curation across the segment, as rival operators refine brand assortments and in‑store experiences.
For the city, the project strengthens Kultorvet–Købmagergade as a retail and leisure axis, linking pedestrian flows between Nørreport and Strøget.
