This paper examines the probability of finding a number retail services in Swedish municipalities with respect to theirmarket potential. In particular, the authors investigate how different degrees of market potential affects the presence ofcertain retail activities in central and non-central municipalities in Sweden. Using a probabilistic approach, the resultssuggest that, for both central and non-central municipalities, the probability of finding certain retail services dependsheavily on the market potential within the municipality. The size of the external market is determined to have a varyingimpact depending both on the size of the market place, and the type of the retail branch investigated.