Asker Shopping

In Asker's neigbouring town, Sandvika you will find Bull Ski & Kajakk. The shop has a very good selection of outdoor equipment and in particular cross-country skiing and sea, canoe and kayak sports. It is a focussed shop with specialists helping you, not the regular run-of-the-mill a little-of-everything shop.

What to buy: Good quality/selection of tents, hiking boots, skis, kayaks and accessories. A good place to start your outdoor expedition here in Norway.

What to pay: Costly, as all Norwegian sports shops, but you get quality. Among all sports shop Bull is not known to be particularily expensive.

Byggmakker is a chain of stores with individual shops that vary widely in quality and service levels. They are one of Norway's several DIY chains. Generally useful if you come here to settle for shorter or longer time, and the price level is quite good.

What to buy: After repeated uses and attempts at using the Asker branch store Byggmakker Sem Bruk AS at Semsveien up past the town centre and near Semsvannet lake, I can no longer recommend this store. Their service levels is abysmal and response time veeery long and rather negative. They refuse to show you goods that they offer for sale through catalogues or advertisements. You can only decide if you like the thing after you have bought it, put it together and then see what it looks like. There are also several things that they put on offer but actually do not have and just try to bait you to come visit their shop. Better go to Maxbo in Asker or some other Byggmakker store elsewhere.

Sandvika Veveri produces homegrown weavings; decorations, curtains, pieces of clothing, table cloth, bed covers etc. You can also have your own stuff made based on their fabrics. They will do the sewing for you. Genuine local craft - never seen them do anything special for the tourist market.
Open: Mon,Tue, Thu Fri 10-15:30, Wed 10-18, Sat 10-14.

What to buy: As a visitor I'd probably go for a traditional pattern table cloth, napkin set etc.

What to pay: Well, they do have a special January sales when prices are down...

The list of galleries is becoming long...
This one is also really nice, located in an old storage house at the grounds of Blakstad Mental Hospital. Local artists in the Vettre-Blakstad area use this as their HQ. Come, look, drink coffee and have some snacks in the gallery cafe, and buy if you like. Looking is free...
Open Sat-Sun 12-15.

What to buy: Visual arts.

All kinds of sports equipment available here: seasonal (fishing, camping, hiking, jogging etc. in summer; skiing, snowboarding, wither cloating in the cold season).
All under one fairly small roof means you are not getting the full width of sports gear, but certainly a good and appropriate selection.
For wider selections, move on to Sandvika and Slependen due west of Asker.

What to buy: Run-of-the-mill sports gear.

What to pay: Same as elsewhere, keep yopur eyes open for sales. I have made some very good buys here.

Not exactly an antiques store, Vollywood has a bit of that sort, furniture, new and old interior decroations, giftsakes etc. It seems from the choice that most of the stuff is local in origin, and that is potentially a rich harvest out here. The owner, Marianne is a furniture specialist and do rehabilitation of old furniture, wood, stuffing, textiles and all.
There are some items on the shelves that perhaps could be of interest to travellers looking for a good and original souvenir - as the items go new come in so it is impossoble to tell exactly what there is. Go hae a look!

What to buy: Maritime stuff; ship's kerosene lamps, candle holders, ship furniture, shelves, nevigator's kits etc.

What to pay: Varies with age, quality and collectability. For non-collectibles not so much.

A small grocery store a far cry from the department stores.
Yet they are open until 22:00, 20 on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Here you can stock up on groceries for your boat travel, road trip further down the coast or late evening beach picnic a warm summer night.
Beats Kiwi grocery store at Vettre with one hour during the working week, and is less "chain-storey".

What to buy: Bunnpris carries some of the bakery goods from Vollen bakery. Otherwise it's just a small grocery with a comprehensive selection and a bit claustrophobic feel to it.

What to pay: Chain store prices, among the best, in fact.

Attached to the Kiwi (sic) store at the turn-off for Konglungen at Vettre a small Thai grocery has sprung up. Contains the key necessities of outlandishly good food! But it is still tiny.