Footwear Store in Bjørnafjorden: Industry Analysis, Companies, and Outlook

The footwear store industry in Bjørnafjorden is a small but stable sector with two registered companies. In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in sales and number of employees, especially in 2020, followed by a more gradual development since. The industry is concentrated in Os, and the organizational form AS dominates. Future prospects show a mix of opportunities and challenges, particularly in relation to the broader creative sector in the municipality.

Sales and employee development:

• Sales: Sales for footwear store companies in Bjørnafjorden had an extreme increase from 2019 to 2020 (+327.6%), reaching NOK 14.4M, and remained at a high level until 2023 (NOK 17.5M). There has been a decline in 2024 and 2025, with NOK 13.9M in 2025.
• Employees: The number of employees had a dramatic increase in 2020 (from 6 to 19), but has varied since. In 2026, there are 14 employees, showing stabilization after a period of variations.

Margins and wage costs:

• The EBITDA margin is around 7%, indicating good cost control.
• Wage costs account for approximately 25% of sales (NOK 3.5M in 2023), which is competitive in a service sector.

The following companies are registered in the footwear store sector in Bjørnafjorden:

1. Kl Moberg Skotøyforretning As Avd Eurosko Flåten (Prestegardskogen 2A, Os)

• Organizational form: AS
• Employees: 8
• Sales: NOK 7.5M
• EBITDA: NOK 574.1K
• Founded: 1995-06-06

1. T Moberg Sko As (Øyro 43, Os)

• Organizational form: AS
• Employees: 6
• Sales: NOK 6.5M
• EBITDA: NOK 481.0K
• Founded: 1996-09-11

Organizational form:

• AS is the only organizational form in the sector, with 2 companies and 14 employees in total.

The footwear store sector in Bjørnafjorden is concentrated in Os, which is the only location with activity in the municipality:

• Os: 2 companies, 14 employees, NOK 14.0M in sales, NOK 1.1M in EBITDA.

There is no registered activity in other districts or cities in the municipality. This shows a clear concentration in Os, which is an important trading city in Vestlandet.

Bankruptcies and stability:

• No bankruptcies are registered for footwear store companies in Bjørnafjorden, indicating a stable industry.

Employee development:

• A dramatic increase in 2020 (from 6 to 19 employees) was followed by a decline in 2021 and a gradual stabilization since. This may be due to increased demand for shoes during the pandemic, followed by an adjustment in labor demand.

Sales and margins:

• Sales had an extreme increase in 2020, but have since shown a more gradual development. The EBITDA margin has remained around 7%, indicating good cost control.

Trend analysis:

• The footwear store sector has shown a strong increase in sales and employees in 2020, but has since experienced a decline in 2024–2025. This may be due to a combination of market conditions and competition from other stores.

Opportunities:

• Os is an important trading city, and it is possible to utilize the existing infrastructure and customer base.
• The high EBITDA margin (7%) indicates that it is possible to operate a profitable business model.

Challenges:

• The gradual decline in sales and employees after 2023 may indicate increased competitive pressure or changes in customer behavior.
• There are only two companies in the sector, which may limit scaling opportunities.

Recommendation:

• For entrepreneurs, it may be a good idea to explore opportunities to establish themselves in Os, where there is already a concentration of footwear store companies. SmartGrunder can help find suitable locations and assess market challenges.

Creative, arts, and entertainment activities:

• This industry has a much greater presence in Bjørnafjorden, with 38 companies compared to 2 in the footwear store sector.
• Sales: The industry had an extreme increase in 2020 (NOK 99.9M), but has since experienced a decline in 2025 (NOK 77.4M).
• Employees: The number of employees had a dramatic increase in 2020 (from 18 to 123), but has since decreased.

Competitiveness:

• The footwear store sector has a higher EBITDA margin (7%) compared to the broader industry, which has a lower margin.
• Companies in the broader industry have a wider variation in sales and EBITDA, which may indicate greater variations in business models.

Peer companies:

• Examples of companies in the broader industry include clothing stores such as Kappahl As Avd 381 Os (NOK 16.8M in sales, NOK 1.9M in EBITDA) and Lindex As Avd Os (NOK 13.2M in sales, NOK 485.1K in EBITDA). These companies can provide a reference level for business models and costs.

The footwear store sector in Bjørnafjorden is a small but stable industry with two companies and a concentration in Os. In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in sales and employees, especially in 2020, but there has been a gradual decline since. The industry has a high EBITDA margin (7%), indicating good cost control. Future prospects show a mix of opportunities and challenges, particularly in relation to the broader creative sector in the municipality. For entrepreneurs, it may be a good idea to explore opportunities to establish themselves in Os, where there is already a concentration of footwear store companies. SmartGrunder can help find suitable locations and assess market challenges.