Footwear Store Industry in Ås: Current Status and Outlook

Industry Overview

The footwear store industry in Ås is a small but dynamic sector with three registered companies. In recent years, the industry has been marked by significant variations in sales and number of employees, with a sharp decline in 2025. Although there have been no bankruptcies in the sector, data shows that some companies operate with negative EBITDA values, which may indicate increased challenges for certain businesses.

The industry is concentrated in Vinterbro, where two of the three companies are located, and one in Ski. There is a clear trend that the most successful companies have higher sales and better margins, which may be an important factor for future founders to consider.

Sales and Employees Over Time:

• Sales: The industry had high sales of NOK 89.7 million in 2023, but this dropped to NOK 14.0 million in 2025, a decline of 79.9%.
• Employees: The number of employees has varied between 40 and 13 over the years, with a decline of 67.5% from 2016 to 2026.

Annual Variations:

• 2018 and 2019 had the highest sales figures, while 2020 and 2025 were marked by significant declines.
• Employees have been most stable between 2021 and 2023, but have since sharply declined.

Margins: The most successful companies have higher EBITDA margins (up to 10%) compared to those operating with negative values.

The following companies are registered in the footwear store industry in Ås:

1. Eurosko Vinterbro (Sjøskogenveien 7, Vinterbro)

• Organizational form: AS
• Employees: 7
• Sales: NOK 17.6 million
• EBITDA: NOK 1.8 million
• EBITDA margin: 10%

1. Snos Vinterbro AS (Sjøskogenveien 7, Vinterbro)

• Organizational form: AS
• Employees: 7
• Sales: NOK 4.8 million
• EBITDA: NOK 211 thousand
• EBITDA margin: 4%

1. Fortitude Viktor Erik Mirabsen (Granheimtunet 13, Ski)

• Organizational form: ENK
• Employees: 0
• Sales: NOK 0
• EBITDA: NOK 0

Organizational form: The two AS companies dominate, while the single ENK company has no activity.

The footwear store industry in Ås is concentrated in the following areas:

• Vinterbro: 2 companies, 14 employees, sales of NOK 22.4 million
• Ski: 1 company, 0 employees, sales of NOK 0

Vinterbro is the most important hub for the industry, with higher sales and employees. There is a clear concentration of activity in this area, which can be an advantage for new companies seeking to establish themselves in Ås.

Bankruptcies: There have been no registered bankruptcies in the industry in Ås in recent years, indicating relative stability.

Establishment and Decline: Although there have been no bankruptcies, data shows that two of the three companies had negative EBITDA values in 2025. This may indicate increased challenges for certain businesses, particularly in connection with the significant declines in sales.

Competitiveness: The most successful companies have higher sales and better margins, which may be an important factor for future founders to consider.

Outlook for Founders

For founders considering establishing themselves in the footwear store industry in Ås, it is important to be aware of the following:

• Market Size: The industry is small, with only three companies, which may provide opportunities for market share but also challenges with concentration in Vinterbro.
• Competitiveness: The most successful companies have higher sales and better margins, which may be an important factor for future founders to consider.
• Outlook: The significant declines in 2025 may indicate increased challenges, but there are also opportunities to establish oneself in an area with potential growth in the creative and entertainment sectors.

SmartGrunder can help founders find suitable locations in Ås for this industry.

Creative, arts, and entertainment activities are a larger industry in Ås with 41 companies, compared to the three in the footwear store sector. The broader industry has higher sales (NOK 216 million in 2023) and more employees (169 in 2022), but also more variable development.

Peer companies:

Conclusion: The footwear store industry is part of a larger creative sector with potential opportunities, but with a smaller market size and more variable development.

The footwear store industry in Ås is a small but dynamic sector with potential opportunities for founders. Although there have been significant variations in sales and number of employees, there have been no bankruptcies in the sector. There is a clear concentration of activity in Vinterbro, which can be an advantage for new companies seeking to establish themselves in Ås.

For founders, it is important to be aware of the significant declines in 2025, as well as the high margins of the most successful companies. SmartGrunder can help founders find suitable locations in Ås for this industry.