Life as an ICA retailer in Östmark

There are many different reasons to leave your hometown and move to a new part of Sweden, or perhaps the world. For Magnus Lundgren, who was born and raised in Säffle, the new place to live became Torsby – or more precisely, Östmark. Three years ago, he moved there with his partner Josefine Eriksson and their two children, Malte and Walter, and began a new life in the countryside. The reason? He became the new ICA retailer in Östmark.

– It felt like a natural step after working as a store manager in Åmål for a few years, says Magnus. I have a background in the grocery retail sector. First I worked at ICA for many years, and then I became a sales representative at Orkla Foods. After a few years at Orkla, my former manager from ICA called and wanted me to come back and become head of dry goods. The next step after that was becoming a store manager, and now here I am in my very own store, says Magnus with a smile.

A chance to take

That it happened to be Torsby Municipality was mostly a coincidence. If you want to take over an ICA store, you have to be willing to move. According to Magnus, the eye of the needle is very small. When a store becomes available, you have to meet all the requirements and be ready to relocate. When the store in Östmark came up as an option, the whole family traveled to a municipality they had never visited before.

A safe start for the children

Moving to Östmark before the children started school was something Magnus and Josefine planned carefully. For them, it was not only about the job but also about the children’s upbringing and the opportunity to give them a safe start in school.

– We were already planning to change preschool, so it suited us very well to move before that. We felt early on that it was important for the children to start in a new environment from the beginning, rather than switching schools in the middle, says Magnus. That way they could have a natural start together with other children in the village and more quickly make friends. We really wanted their schooling to begin the right way, without extra transitions.

Now, a few years later, the children are 5 and 8 years old and are thriving in preschool and school. When it comes to their free time, it is the rural lifestyle that sets the tone. The family usually does not have many fixed leisure activities but instead appreciates the quiet moments in everyday life.

– Since I work quite a lot, it’s nice to just be at home and tend to the garden when I get some free time, says Magnus. But I also try to take walks in the forest with the family, and we sometimes go skiing in Branäs and at Hovfjället. We really enjoy nature.

There are also times when the family goes to the center of Torsby to run errands, or simply for a small outing.

– We like going to Wienerkonditoriet, and sometimes we go to the cinema, says Magnus with a smile. They become small outings that break up everyday life in a pleasant way.

ICA – more than a store

As an ICA retailer, Magnus has had the opportunity to shape his store according to his own ideas and experiences, something he sees as a major advantage of running a store in the countryside.

– Here I have the opportunity to really get to know the customers. I know who comes in every week, what they like, and sometimes even who might need an extra helping hand. One of the liveliest times of the year is Östmarksveckan, when the whole village is filled with activities and people are everywhere. During that week it is really full speed here at ICA, says Magnus.

There are also big plans for the future. Magnus wants to continue developing the ICA store in Östmark, including replacing the refrigerators and freezers and looking into the possibility of keeping the store open around the clock.

– We have many older customers who shop regularly, but also cabin owners and tourists who pass through, he says. The key is to find solutions that make it convenient for everyone.

The store is also a gathering place for the village and contributes to the local sense of community. In the spring they have a recurring flower day with a quiz walk that attracts both young and old, and during Christmas Santa comes to visit ICA.

– Those are the kinds of small things that make it fun to run a store here, says Magnus. You really become part of the community. The people here are incredibly welcoming, he continues. It doesn’t matter if you are newly moved here, you quickly get to know your neighbors and others in the village. It feels like you are truly seen.

A home in northern Värmland

For Magnus and his family, it is clear that the move to Östmark has provided both work and quality of life. The nature, the sense of community, the children’s happiness, and the opportunity to develop his own store have made the village more than just a place to live – it has become a home.

– Of course we thought a little about what it would be like without our families nearby, says Magnus. But we have always managed to make it work. We travel to Säffle regularly to see our relatives, and they often come here to visit. It’s not that far, and it means we don’t feel isolated in any way. We are really looking forward to the future here, Magnus concludes. There are always new ideas to try, and it feels exciting to help contribute to life in the village.