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The idea of Varuste.net was born on the ninth of September 2004, when three friends packed one dog and all their hunting supplies into a car and headed off towards Posio, one of the best hunting grounds in Lapland, Finland. All three fellows were self-employed and made basically just enough for living but that was all.
On the way to Posio, they discussed all the equipment, supplies and needs for the trip. An idea of having an own online store focusing on outdoor equipment, which would only present the very best brands in the market was arising.
The business idea, the online store's database structure and the whole composition of the founding team were refined during the hunting days off the beaten path and over late nights at the campfire.
On the way back home it was clear what was to be done and who else needed to be persuaded along to start the company. And so it happened: the company was established by five Finnish guys, all of them under thirty at that time.
After an intensive autumn, Varuste.net's first advertisement was published on November 27, 2004 in Finlands main news paper Helsingin Sanomat
Varuste.net's timeline
9/2004 The idea to start a company
11/2004 Opening of the Varuste.net online store
1/2005 Opening of the pick-up point at Mannerheimintie 126, Helsinki
8/2005 Move to Runeberginkatu 58, Helsinki, Finland
8/2007 Moving to North-West Helsinki (Konala area) at Ruosilantie 2, Helsinki
9/2007 The company's turnover exceeded one million euros
12/2008 First runner up for Kauppalehti's Business Gazelles
9/2011 Move to Konala to Ruosilankuja 3, Helsinki
"JUST moved here. Constructions and arrangements are still a "bit" unfinished. We apologize for the inconvenience. The price tags are not yet on the products, but you can check the price from info computers provided. Thank you and sorry very much."
2/2012 Varuste.net's first (and for now also the most recent) TV-commercial was shown in the Finnish television.
3/2013 Varuste.net's webshop and ERP-system was found to be so awesome and functional that it was a great idea to start selling it to other companies too. A new company Creaction Finland Oy was founded for the software and the ERP-system was named Shuriken. The name of the system comes from the lightning-fast star shaped ninja weapon that the founders used to craft at wood-/metal class as kids at elementary school.
Who's a speedy devil? Varuste.net was recognized in 2017 at Google's European headquarters in Dublin, where Varuste.net's speed measured by Google was clearly ahead of other important European e-commerce players.
9/2013 The company expanded the business to viranomainen.fi, which focuses on providing professional equipment to law enforcement bodies.
10/2014 The company founded Sukelluskoulu Aalto (Diving School Aalto),
a 5-star PADI Instructor Development Center, which offers PADI diving courses and -training.
9/2015 The company's turnover exceeded ten million euros
8/2020 The company's turnover exceeded the twenty million euro mark
11/2021 Moving to Konala Malminkartanontie 1, Helsinki. At the same time, a new logo and company visuals were launched.
12/2022 The company's turnover exceeded the fifty million euro limit