VapeMore in Eskilstuna are old hands at the business and see themselves more as juice manufacturers than a shop. But the shop is where it all happens - where Michael Karvonen and Lasse Dahlström spend their days chatting to customers, mixing the many brands of juice and chatting to each other when they have time.
Eskilstuna is Södermanland's largest urban centre with just over 70,000 inhabitants, and if you're not particularly interested in history, the band Kent is probably more associated with the city than Bishop Eskil of Tuna diocese - from which the city once took its name. According to legend, the good Eskil was an English monk who was killed by atheist pagans in Strängnäs in the late 11th century. In other words, this is a very old town and the name Eskilstuna is documented in a medieval letter from 1285.
Started with juices in the kitchen
VapeMore is slightly younger than that, but having started in a kitchen in 2015, they are still veterans of vejp Sweden. Owner Michael Karvonen meets up at the train station and drives to the shop, which for those without local geographic knowledge feels like a bit outside the city centre, but in fact is right on the border.
- "This is actually Eskilstuna's busiest junction. Unfortunately, the city centre is pretty dead, so this is a perfect location," says Micke.
Inside the shop doors, employee Lasse Dahlström also meets them and they are asked to go back in time to how it all began.
- It started in a kitchen, with juicers, in 2015. With the brand "Ideal monster", which then grew out of that kitchen," says Micke.
- At the time, there were three of us working on it. In 2016, Lasse came into the picture too," he continues.
But going back further, when did you come into contact with vejp at all?
- When I was a student, there was a guy who wanted us to buy these cig-a-likes from the US. He said that e-cigarettes are the future - but he did nothing about it himself. But we brought home about 15 of these devices. And my friends, who later dragged me back into it, each bought one - and that in turn caught their interest," says Michael
- They then bought other machines from a company in Finland. But they found juice so expensive that they started making their own and then selling them. So that's how it started," he continues.
Micke himself became fully involved via the detour that he already had a limited company (intended to invest in property from the beginning). But to boil things down a bit, VapeMore was eventually chiselled out of the juice brand "Ideal Monster".
Primarily juice makers
Juice production became the mainstay of the company and probably still is. Micke himself is originally from Gothenburg, but has lived in Eskilstuna for many, many years, moved there through an old relationship. The relationship led to children, which in turn led to him becoming rooted in his new city - and even the accent no longer hints at Majorna, where he grew up. But the tattoo "1894" across his forearm does - the year the football team GAIS was founded.
After only a few years with Ideal Monster, Lasse Dahlström found his way into the gang.
- You could say it was via acquaintances and various vejp meetings. I had mixed a lot at home and was quite active in the vejp world," says Lasse - who, however, has his Småland dialect much more intact.
More online at the beginning
The first premises they had was not a shop - it was for making juice and shipping orders.
- Our online part was much bigger then than it is today. We sent out a large number of orders daily and mixed juices on a completely different level," says Micke. At that time they were nine employees for a while, but today Micke and Lasse run the business themselves in Eskilstuna. They also have a shop in Norrköping, with their own staff.
90 per cent own brands
Shops are a much bigger part of the game now, but as mentioned, juices are still the foundation.
- We are juice producers. If you look at what we sell, 90 per cent of it is our own brands. Under the VapeMore umbrella are a wide range of juice brands. Some, like Ideal Monster, have been around since the start, and others have been added.
- We have our Candy line. We have Dirty Vaper - which is Lasse's juicer. Then we have Grizzly, who worked here for many years. We also produce Crazy Swedes and Ice Age, we have Selection which is our MTL juices and our Masterline and a lot of other things," says Micke.
- "We also have some that we have moved and only have in production now. (mix on order on the website) We have, for example, Blackline and DGM, Lasse adds.
To summarise, there are a hell of a lot of e-juices, and VapeMore has also won competitions where Sweden's best juicer has been chosen.
But which of these would you say is your flagship?
- I would say that Dirty and Grizzly are. Ideal Monster is also at that level. If you get curious about all these lines and flavours, you have to take a trip to Eskilstuna or sit down and order online.
- "At the moment we don't sell much to other shops. Vapes has our juices, and VapeNation - but otherwise we handle all sales ourselves," says Micke.
You were nine at your peak, but today you are two. Has the business kind of gone backwards?
- There were nine of us, but that was before the TPD, remember. At the moment, we get on well between the two of us. I open, Lasse closes, I take care of the basement (manufacturing), he takes care of online and then we fight about the shop, Micke laughs.
Risk of sales ban if rules are broken
TPD stands for "Tobacco Product Directive" and was created to regulate trade and use of tobacco products in the EU. The same rules apply to the sale of e-cigarettes, e-juices and accessories. The TPD entered into force on 1 July 2017.
- There were a whole bunch of rules in connection with it that made things difficult for us. We were in the first batch of vejp stores and were heavily scrutinised by KO (Konsumentverket). This meant, among other things, that we had to clear our Facebook and Instagram of everything that could not be marketed. We had to remove free shipping because you must never entice a customer to buy more. So you can never have "two for one" for example. Since then, I don't think they've done much control, but since we were there when it was introduced, we would get a sales ban immediately if we were to break any rule.
Steady progress in the shop
Michael Karvonen is the sole owner of VapeMore. Lasse, and a guy called Kasper, who runs the Norrköping store, are the only employees.
- I'll bear the risks if something happens, but we probably just see each other as colleagues, me and Lasse.
And friends, I might add. Sure, they can get their fill of each other as they're seen every day in the shop, but if Micke lights up the barbecue at home in the garden late at the weekend, a text message will be sent.
- It's definitely at that level. Then I guess I'm a bit of a nerd and rarely go on things. I get my social dose filled here in the store and feel best at home in front of the computer," says Lasse.
Customers from 25 to 65
There is a regular buzz from the entrance during the interview, and Lasse is the one who takes it upon himself to run out and meet the customers. They come on a regular basis and, according to Micke, there are roughly equal numbers of men and women between the ages of 25 and 65. Many are old regulars and others are curious who may have tried a one-off variant before.
- I usually say that I must be the most stupid self-employed person in existence, because I want to make myself unemployed, haha. I want my customers to quit nicotine," says Micke.
But do you really want it or does it sound good to say so?
No, but I've been saying that ever since we started, although I haven't managed to go bankrupt yet. As long as tobacco is still around, I will be around. I mainly want people to stop smoking. I want to get them off tobacco, but then I want them off nicotine too. And we get many customers to first reduce the amount of nicotine and sometimes to quit completely. Now, I don't think tobacco and nicotine will disappear completely just like that - but if they do, I'll just have to find something else.
Five quick ones for Michael Karvonen, VapeMore
Who is your typical customer?
- Equal numbers of women and men between 25 and 65.
How big is vape in Eskilstuna?
- Just right, I would say
What is your own favourite flavour?
- Blackcurrant
What would you never put in the tank yourself?
- I really don't like mangoes, either as fruit or vejp
What made you start vejpa?
- I was a heavy smoker. Once I got a good machine, it took two weeks, and I've never had another puff since.
