Flying Tiger Copenhagen Founder’s Management Philosophy: "It Starts with Considering Social Roles"

Interview with Lennart Rybochitz in Denmark
"Pursuing Community Values Beyond a Materialistic Society"
Realizing Values with Social Elements through 'Absalon'

"Denmark is moving away from a materialistic and functional society. Now, people want to work at companies with better values, not just where money is important. If you ask Danes what matters most to them, they would say the environment and climate change first. The second is community, that is, social activities. Money might come third, or perhaps after the Ukraine war."

Lennart Lajboschitz, founder of Flying Tiger Copenhagen, a store selling unique Nordic design office and lifestyle products, said this in a recent interview with Asia Economy held in Copenhagen, Denmark. He added, "Community and social elements are becoming much more important to people."

Lennart Lajboschitz, founder of Flying Tiger Copenhagen, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at Absalon in Vesterbro, Copenhagen.

The predecessor of Flying Tiger Copenhagen was a store called 'Zebra' that sold surplus goods. Lajboschitz started it with his wife over 30 years ago. One day, as he was about to go on vacation, he left the store in the care of his brother’s girlfriend. She suddenly called asking why the prices of items were different. After some thought, he told her to just charge 10 kroner for everything. His daughter found it amusing that the Danish word for 10 kroner (tier) sounds like tiger. Inspired by this, he founded Flying Tiger Copenhagen, a variety store chain often called the Nordic equivalent of Daiso. Flying Tiger Copenhagen grew to about 40 stores in three years and now has over 950 stores in 29 countries worldwide. Lajboschitz sold 70% of the company’s shares in 2012 and has been active only on the board since 2015.

Lajboschitz said one reason he created Flying Tiger Copenhagen was to build a space for his children and wife. Although he made a lot of money from the success, this was also why he did not stop his business. His children grew up and became independent, and for more organic social relationships, in August 2015 he purchased the Absalon Church located in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen. He transformed it into a space for communal dinners with his wife and further developed it into a cultural space. Currently, Absalon attracts about 50,000 visitors annually. He said, "We started talking about wanting to target not only young people but also the elderly and families with children," adding, "The common point was eating. After all, all humans eat."

At Absalon, about 200 meals are prepared every night, and 'meal tickets' are sold. There are no strict rules, but tickets must be purchased. Lajboschitz explained that everyone must meet the same criteria to enjoy equality. Recently, Absalon’s meal tickets have been sold out for one to two weeks straight.

Part of the space is used by local residents to learn yoga, dance, table tennis, or to watch movies and performances together. The Royal Danish Ballet has performed there. He said, "Employees once asked me if we could put up signs showing where the bathrooms are because visitors always ask. I said 'yes,' but my wife said 'no' because people connect by asking, so it’s necessary for them to ask."

There was a time when Absalon had to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even then, Lajboschitz set up a studio in one part of Absalon and created a radio broadcast to share with the local community. He said, "In one survey, 10% of the Danish population said they often feel lonely," adding, "Instead of just talking about the problem, I thought we should raise our voices to solve it."

Lennart Lajboschitz is being interviewed by Asia Economy at Absalon in Vesterbro, Copenhagen. He emphasized that the reason and purpose are important in whatever work one does, citing consultant Simon Sinek's book Start with Why as an example.

Interior view of Absalon located in Vesterbro, Copenhagen. The interior was completely renovated by hiring a famous designer. It was common to see local residents drinking coffee and reading books or students gathering to work on assignments. Table tennis is one of Laibowitz's favorite sports, and a table tennis table was installed to share with the local community.

Along with Absalon, Lajboschitz also operates two hotels. These are not simple accommodations. Inside these hotels, tourists can find spaces to meet locals. The King and Queen of Bhutan have stayed there.

Lajboschitz emphasized, "I am involved in many things, but the reason is the same: thinking about how to be a catalyst for forming social relationships among people." He added, "You can create many things, but ultimately the purpose must be the same."

He planned to promote the value of sharing at Folkemøde, Denmark’s largest political festival. Without a driver, he said he would drive himself to the harbor, take a ferry, and arrive at Bornholm. At Folkemøde, Absalon set up a tent and held a communal dining event as usual. He said, "Nowadays, many people do not eat together," adding, "This causes a major social problem. If we do not socialize, we can become mentally ill."

Lajboschitz stated, "Looking out the window of the big world, there are people suffering from war, people who do not live in free countries, and poor people," and firmly said, "There is nothing I can do immediately." However, he added, "Still, I think it would be good if I could do something," and said, "The only way we can change is by caring about the small world."

He said, "If you and I, in the small world where we live, try to live a good life, opportunities will come someday," and added, "Don’t miss the chance to try to create something good. If you don’t try, you won’t understand why the world looks the way it does. The worst thing is not caring."