A Norwegian kitchen retailer operating in Skien, Norway, has been declared bankrupt by the Nedre Telemark District Court, following a petition filed by the company Designd2inspire AS. The company’s total debt stands at 1.1 million Norwegian kroner, with assets valued at zero, according to court documents.
Roy Tore Knutsen, who had owned the JKE Design franchise in Skien since January 2021, had initially planned to relocate the business to smaller premises after a planned redevelopment of the Nansetgata 95 building. In October 2021, Knutsen explained that the existing 230 square meter space was largely unused and economically unsustainable. The redevelopment project, approved in February 2025, involved the construction of approximately 50 residential units.
Despite expressing satisfaction with the Nansetgata 95 location – citing excellent parking and accessibility – Knutsen sought a smaller footprint. He initially intended to operate from a temporary home-based location while searching for new retail space. However, those plans never materialized.
According to the court’s decision, the company was ultimately run from Knutsen’s home address in Skien. Designd2inspire AS experienced a significant decline in revenue. While the company reported nearly 3.1 million kroner in revenue during its first year of operation, income halved in 2022, and in 2023, turnover fell to just under 200,000 kroner. The 2024 financial statements have not yet been filed with the Brønnøysundregistrene, Norway’s official business registry.
The company accumulated 26 payment defaults totaling 130,000 kroner since 2023. The company’s board reported that share capital and equity were lost by the end of 2021. Designd2inspire AS employed one person in 2023.
Sindre Gjertsen Marqvardsen, an attorney in Skien, has been appointed as the receiver for the bankruptcy proceedings. A creditors’ meeting is scheduled for April 9th, at which point Marqvardsen will assess whether there are sufficient assets to continue the proceedings or if a swift closure is warranted.
Another business, Lokalvik, previously occupied space in the same building as JKE Design, but ceased operations at the end of 2024. The property owner, Pancom, is currently advertising available space for short-term lease.
