L. O. Smith’s many businesses: from railways to large-scale agriculture
L. O. Smith has gone down in history as the brännvin king. But spirits were not the only thing he was interested in. Strategically, L. O. Smith built up a […]
The entrepreneur
The method that revolutionised the vodka industry
Smith was the first person in Sweden to introduce a new method for purifying vodka on a large scale. He wanted to get rid of the unpleasant-tasting and unhealthy fusel […]
L.O. Smith’s Swedish competitors
We often think of L.O. Smith as Sweden’s one and only vodka king. But in fact he was far from the only producer of vodka and other alcoholic drinks. Get […]
L.O. Smith in the press
The Swedish press loved the successful, feisty business man L.O. Smith. He was not scared to cause a stir – even when his opinions opposed the authorities. In addition, his […]
L.O. Smith’s first job
At the age of 10, Lars did not want to be a burden to his benefactor Mr. Smith any longer. After getting his approval, he took up employment with the […]
L.O. Smith’s second job
The PR success at Skottsberg’s shop did not pass unnoticed. Within one year, Smith was offered an annual salary of SEK 300 from the competitor Cervin. The 11-year-old Smith kept […]
Conflict with a new employer
After finding accommodation in Stockholm, L.O. Smith’s next challenge was to find a job. He went to a Mr Åkerman on Stora Badstugatan (today’s Sveavägen road). After demonstrating his results […]
Smith’s career in the harbor
L.O. Smith needed a job. At Skeppsholmen in the Old Town of Stockholm, he ran into an acquaintance from home. Apparently the acquaintance had such a bad hangover that he […]
Thriving business for the king of vodka
You could say that L.O. Smith became the king of vodka by chance. In the wake of the economic crisis that hit the United States and the rest of the […]
Poor quality spirits and the first vodka war
Having made a fortune on spirit trade, L.O. Smith decided to start producing his own vodka. He had seen the harmful effects of bad liquor in his life and was […]
The second vodka war at Fjäderholmarna
By the time Stockholm’s five-year alcohol policy expired, L.O. Smith had already started his own business in Karlshamn. The company exported spirits to Spain, but the profit was so modest […]
Podcast: The history of the Reimersholme liquor factory
Listen to the fascinating story of the king of vodka, his fight against the public liquor stores, and Reimersholme’s glory days as an industrial island. The podcast is in Swedish.