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HISTORY
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“Mølla” is situated on Sagene which is named after all the saw mills (sagbrukene) which were once located here. Remains of early settlement in the form of small wooden cottages can still be seen, and one can tell that this was once both city and country in the same place. In the mid-19th century the industrial revolution reached Sagene. In 1845 Knud Graah travelled to Manchester to study the art of spinning. That same year he opened the country’s first spinning mill “Nedre Vøien Spinderi” at the river below Beyerbrua. In 1856, 150 people worked here producing yarn. |
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The spinning mill burned down to the ground in 1859, but was rebuilt only a year after, with the aid of Oluf Nicolai Roll. During the reconstruction they used the materials of the time which was brick and a lot of glass windows, they also isolated the floor. A lot of iron was used in the reconstruction due to fear of a new fire. The workday was long for the employees with 12 hour shifts starting at 6:00 AM. In 1865 there was a total of 7 spinning mills with 1200 employees. In 1858 they started the demolition of most of the wooden cottages to build stone houses. As many as 20 people lived here in just 40m2.
One of Norway’s greatest poets, Oscar Braaten, lived at Sagveien 12. “Mølla” is in number 17, now renamed Mølleparken 6. “Mølla’s” closest neighbour is a small, red wooden cottage called “Hønse Lovisa”, the name is taken from Oscar Braaten’s play “Ungen” (“The Kid”). The house is there even to this day. A few decades into the 20th century the spinning mills at Sagene closed, the heyday was over. The houses which had once been used as spinning mills were now used as storage rooms. For half a century the mills were forgotten, until Terje Wiggo Nielsen, in 1978, came up the idea of using the resources available. Where the spinning machines used to be you now have computers and drawing tables. Where yarn was once produced they now produce computer software and create ideas for interior design.
In 1980, Gino Valente started a restaurant with great success. He developed his restaurant concept further by mixing restaurant and entertainment, and in 1987 “Cabaret” and “Mølla” opened. 4 years later “Cabaret” closed after a difficult period. TVNorge moved in and began their great success with the tv-show “Casino” and “Halvard Flatland”. Rolv Wesenlund’s “Wesenstund” was also aired from here for several years. When TVNorge was bought by TV2, they decided to relocate and Wallmans Nöjen took over. Now the entertainment business will witness a revolution.
Wallmans salonger Oslo opened October 20th 2000, and with outstanding employees the old spinning mill will reach new heights.
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