þjónustubúðum

Þjónustubúðir is an Icelandic term used to describe camps or stations established to provide services to travelers, workers, or military units. The concept encompasses temporary or semi-permanent facilities where meals, lodging, fuel, repairs, or other amenities were offered. In historical texts, these camps are often associated with infrastructure projects such as road-building, fishing operations, or wartime deployments, where reliable service points were required away from permanent towns.

The word is a compound of þjónusta 'service' and búð 'shop, booth, hut'. The form þjónustubúðir is the nominative plural, while þjónustubúðum is the dative plural seen in various phrases in Icelandic texts. The meaning varies with context, ranging from roadside service stations to military service camps.

In Icelandic archives, references to þjónustubúðir appear in connection with the development of transport networks and with the presence of foreign troops in Iceland. During the 1940s, Allied forces established bases and supply points on the island; some records describe service camps that provided meals, shelter, and logistical support at or near these sites. Outside wartime, similarly named camps sometimes served seasonal workers or fishing crews anchored at harbors.

Today, the term is relatively uncommon in everyday Icelandic and is mostly found in historical texts or descriptive accounts of past practice. When used, it typically refers to historical service camps rather than contemporary facilities.