Lars Larsen

Lars Kristinus Larsen (born 6 August 1948 in Arnborg, died 19 August 2019 in Sejs-Svejbæk) also known as Dyne-Larsen, was the founder and part owner of the store chain JYSK (the former Jysk Sengetøjslager). JYSK is today a global group with over 2,900 stores in 52 countries in 2020.

Lars Larsen, through the company JYSK Holding, was part owner of the furniture chains ILVA, IDEmøbler, Bolia and Sengespecialisten.

In 2018, he was Denmark's fourth richest person with an estimated fortune of DKK 35.1 billion and in 2015 was ranked as the world's 435th richest person by the American business magazine Forbes.

Lars Larsen was the youngest child out of a group of four siblings. He was the son of Signe Vera Kirstine Hansen and Lars Kristinus Larsen, but the father died a few months before his birth. Lars Larsen grew up with a single mother who tried her hand at both farming, hotel management and a candy shop. The mother felt bad, and so did the finances. Several times she was admitted to a psychiatric ward in Viborg, while the children tried to get it all together at home. Lars Larsen moved often during his childhood. In 1956 he started in 1st grade at Hurup Municipal School. As the only one of the four siblings, Lars Larsen was allowed to go to secondary school, and actually he wanted to be a teacher. However, his older brother Hans persuaded him to enter the trade and got him an apprenticeship. On 1 August 1966, Lars Larsen started as an apprentice at "Magasin H & L" in Thisted, which sold quilts, bedding, curtains, mattresses, dress fabrics etc.

Lars Larsen made his face known from 1989 in TV commercials under the motto "I have a good offer for you". He was the first to market his company in this direct way. The method has since been copied by other companies. In June 2010, he became a Knight of the Dannebrog.