WELCOME TO BENGANS!
Bengans record store in Goteborg is the largest and most well-assorted record store in all of the Nordic countries.
In our 700 square meters of music we can offer an extraordinary experience for all music lovers.
For more than thirty years we have been providing the good Goteborgers with records, and since 1995 the rest
of Sweden (and the world) have been able to access our large selection of music through our online
store. Nowadays we also have stores in Stockholm and Barkarby. Both our main office and our mail order
warehouse are located in Goteborg, in connection with our Goteborg store. Our stores are visited by
thousands of people every day.
We carry records, movies and books. Since 2004 we also offer music downloads in collaboration with InProdicon.
Numerous distributors help us keep a wide assortment of music to fit our customers' needs. We also provide imports
and records that artists or bands distribute themselves.
We here at Bengans are music lovers ourselves, and just like our customers we appreciate the close contact with artists. We often have in-store concerts and signings. Throughout the years we have had artists such as David Bowie, Tokio Hotel and R.E.M, as well as most big Swedish artists, e.g. Kent, Ulf Lundell and Lars Winnerbäck.
1974
Bengans Skivhörna opens at Kommendörsgatan 27 in Goteborg.
1975
Moves to the corner of Allmänna vägen and Kaptensgatan.
Turnover is 200.000 SEK.
1976
The record store's turnover is 2.5 million SEK.
1977
Punkrockers discover the store and
start selling their own 7"s in it.
1978
The standard full-price is raised for
the first time (to 28 SEK).
Kapten Gitarr opens across the street.
1979
Used records are given less space in
favour of brand new LP's.
1980
Bengt covers the walls with colored vinyls.
1981
The record store's turnover is 6 million SEK.
Kapten Gitarr moves to Haga.
1982
Bengans' first employee, Kenneth Sandström, is hired.
The store temporarily moves back to Kommendörsgatan.
1983
The place at Allmänna vägen is
renovated and re-built.
1984
The newly renovated space at Allmänna
vägen is re-opened.
1985
The price of one CD is 120 SEK.
An LP costs 55 SEK.
1986
The store moves to Stigbergstorget, more
specifically to the former movie theater Fyren (march 20th).
1987
Opens café and starts selling concert tickets.
1988
A first, and indeed improvised, in-store
concert/signing takes place.
The artist is Courtney Pine.
1989
In the autumn of this year, CD sales start
approaching the numbers of LP sales.
The prices start approaching each other as well,
with CDs costing 110 SEK and LPs costing 72.
1990
Starts operating the concert and touring
company Musik/Musik.
1991
Puts on more and more concerts, among them
the GBG all star festival at Heden.
1992
Opens a music store in the old offices of the
Göta bank at Stigbergstorget. Starts a record label.
1993
Opens a store at Goteborg's central railway station.
Puts on concerts with Ulf Lundell at Scandinavium and Globen.
1994
The turnover is 50 million SEK
(out of which CD sales respresent 35 million).
1995
Starts selling CDs online.
1996
Opens a seasonal summer store in Strömstad.
1997
Moves the music store Bengans Gitarrer
("Bengans' guitars") into the store at Stigbergstorget.
1998
The first turnover to exceed 90 million SEK.
1999
It's Bengans' 25th anniversary and lots of
celebration takes place.