Since the time of squire Maas in the 1830's reletively intensive trading has been going on in Å. In 1843, Johan Ellingsen took over and built up Handelshuset Å (Ellingsen's trading company).

The shop which we can see today was built by C.P. Ellingsen in 1890 after a fire. Two extensions were later made to the building, the latter of the two in 1945. The building has housed a general store, post office, goods office and fisheries office. In 1890 the local steamer began calling at Å and therefore the goods office was set up. The boat anchored up a short distance from land and post and goods were loaded and unloaded there. The boat also carried passengers.

At first, there was a so-called "letter office" in Å, but this was converted into a rural post office in 1885.