Meet Holly Hallberg | Propriator, Huset

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Hallberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I worked in the film industry for many years, and after I had my daughter, I decided that I wanted to have something that wasn’t quite as demanding of my time. Enter Huset, a fantasy project I dreamt up on the shore of an island off the coast of Sweden. Seventeen years later, how would I know that this “project” would take up so much of my life

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Huset, which means the house in Swedish, Danish and Norwegian is a one stop shop for all things Scandinavian. I tried to create a store with items you might find inside a design store if you were in Stockholm, Copenhagen or Oslo. Our store specializes in items for your whole house, thus the name Huset. We have everything from kitchenware, to books, jewelry to stationary. Mens, womens and kids clothing, toys, and a huge favorite of many Huset fans, Swedish candy. Initially the thought behind the store was to have a shop that had all the big designers and more artistic pieces, but as time went on, our store morphed into something a bit more familiar in the types of items we carried. These are pieces I have or would have in my own home. We do have a small selection of items that also feel Scandinavian in their aesthetic, or their company ethos.
A lot of what Huset has become over time, has been due to listening to the customers through the lens of my curated style. Seventeen years in retail is a long time, and making it through Covid was a task unto itself, but a lot of why we continue to stand is our loyal customers, who keep coming back for unique, quality items that not every store may have.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oooh, this is a tough question for a homebody like me. The most interesting and exciting things our city offers are free. I’m a big fan of early morning sunrise walks along the beach. Picking up a coffee from Boulevard Coffee on Abbot Kinney. Taking a bicycle through the canals, stopping to feed the ducks. I’m a big foodie, but I like to cook, so friends get to indulge with me on big spreads at my house. A sunset walk in the marina. I’d make sure to explore the beach, but also plan a day in the mountains. If time afforded us, I’d take a trip to the desert as well. Southern California has so much to offer, and most of the beautifully spectacular things here are free. And of course a weekend stroll on Abbot Kinney is a must. From great people watching to browsing shops, it’s a fun relaxing event. It’s one of the few walking streets in L.A. that still feel authentic and not quite too commercial —- yet.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow, so many incredible people along the way! Since many of my staff members have been from Scandinavia, on work visas, I have enjoyed so many incredible people who’ve worked with us throughout the years. Some stand out more than others, but each one brought a unique stamp on our company and also some strong authenticity to our Scandinavian store.

Website: https://www.huset-shop.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/husetshop