The series follows life in a small danish town in the period 1929-1947 The main character Mads Andersen-Skjern arrives in 1929 as a traveling salesman, in the sleepy town of Korsbæk. He quickly realizes that the towns trade is stagnating and opens a garment store, which soon puts the towns only other business of its kind - Damernes Magasin - out of business.