Footwear Store Industry in Kristiansand: A Comprehensive Analysis

Footwear store in Kristiansand is a stable, yet dynamic industry with 24 registered companies in the municipality. In recent years, the industry has shown both strong growth and challenges, especially during the pandemic. There is a clear concentration of activity in Kristiansand city center, with less activity in Søgne. Companies vary in size and structure, with both older establishments and new players. The industry has a positive EBITDA margin of 4%, but shows variations in profitability between companies. Different companies have varying developments, with some experiencing strong growth and others facing challenges. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Kristiansand for this industry.

Sales and employees:

Characteristics:

• The industry experienced strong growth in 2018, but a sharp decline in 2020 due to the pandemic.
• Sales have since been on an upward trend, with a growth of 7.1% in 2025.
• The number of employees has grown from 108 in 2021 to 142 in 2025, with an average annual growth of 6.8%.
• The EBITDA margin is at 4%, showing that the industry has relatively good profitability compared to other sectors.

The following companies are registered in the industry in Kristiansand:

1. Tønnesen 1937 As Avd Kristiansand – 17 employees, 33.4M in operating income, 33.2M in sales, 2.5M in EBITDA, 7% EBITDA margin.
2. Centrum Sko As – 8 employees, 14.8M in operating income, 14.8M in sales, 1.5M in EBITDA, 9% EBITDA margin.
3. Din Sko Avd 1111 Sørlandssenteret – 6 employees, 93.8M in operating income, 92.9M in sales, 72.4K in EBITDA, 0% EBITDA margin.

Organizational forms:

• AS (21 companies): Dominates the industry with 157 employees and 118.5M in operating income.
• NUF (1 company): A smaller player with 6 employees and 93.8M in operating income, but with negative EBITDA (72.4K).

Characteristics:

• The most profitable companies are Tønnesen 1937 As and Centrum Sko As, with EBITDA margins of 7% and 9%, respectively.
• Din Sko Avd 1111 Sørlandssenteret has a very low EBITDA margin (0%), which may indicate operational challenges.
• There are 24 companies in total in the municipality, but only 16 are reported in the data.

Characteristics:

• Kristiansand is the main hub for the industry, with 20 companies, 149 employees, 207.1M in sales, and 208.4M in operating income.
• Søgne has a very limited presence, with only 2 companies, 14 employees, 3.8M in sales, and 3.8M in operating income.
• Kristiansand has significantly higher sales and operating income compared to Søgne, indicating that the industry is concentrated in the capital city.
• There is a clear geographic concentration of activity in Kristiansand, with minimal presence in Søgne.

Bankruptcies and operational challenges:

• There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry in Kristiansand.
• However, some companies have negative operating results, such as Morris Sørlandssenteret Kr Sand Avd 6120 Sørlandssenteret, which had a negative EBITDA of -88.5K in 2024.
• Eurosko Sørlandssenteret, Eva Sko, Eurosko Sandens, and Skoby Sørlandssenteret have no sales or operating income, which may indicate that they are in receivership or have ceased operations.

Characteristics:

• The industry is relatively stable with no bankruptcies, but shows variations in profitability.
• Some companies have very low or negative EBITDA, which may be a challenge for future operations.
• There is a mix of older and newer companies, with both positive and negative operating results.

Trend analysis and opportunities:

• The industry has shown strong growth in 2022 and 2023, with annual growth rates of 44.2% and 12.9%, respectively.
• Sales have increased from 94.7M in 2020 to 170.3M in 2025, showing a positive trend.
• The number of employees has grown from 108 in 2021 to 142 in 2025, with an average annual growth of 6.8%.
• The EBITDA margin is at 4%, showing that the industry has relatively good profitability compared to other sectors.

Competitiveness:

• There are 24 companies in the industry, with a concentration in Kristiansand.
• There is a mix of older and newer companies, with both positive and negative operating results.
• Some companies have very low or negative EBITDA, which may be a challenge for future operations.

Recommendation:

• Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Kristiansand, where there is a concentration of activity and a positive trend in sales and number of employees.
• It is important to assess the competitiveness and profitability of existing companies before establishing oneself.
• SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Kristiansand for this industry.

Characteristics of the parent industry:

• Number of companies: 302 companies in the parent industry, with 24 companies in the sub-sector (footwear store).
• Sales: The parent industry had sales of 1128.3M in 2016, with a growth of 2.5% in 2018, but a decline of 19.6% in 2019.
• Number of employees: The parent industry had 1225 employees in 2016, with a decline of 4.3% in 2017, but a growth of 7.1% in 2022.

Peer companies in the parent industry:

Characteristics:

• The parent industry has a much larger number of companies (302) compared to the sub-sector (24 companies).
• The parent industry has higher sales (1128.3M in 2016) compared to the sub-sector (64.9M in 2016).
• The parent industry has a higher number of employees (1225 in 2016) compared to the sub-sector (206 in 2016).
• The sub-sector has a higher EBITDA margin (4%) compared to the parent industry (not provided in the data).

Footwear store in Kristiansand is a stable, yet dynamic industry with 24 companies and a positive trend in sales and number of employees. The industry has shown strong growth in 2022 and 2023, but shows variations in profitability between companies. There is a concentration of activity in Kristiansand, with less activity in Søgne. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Kristiansand, where there is a positive trend in sales and number of employees. It is important to assess the competitiveness and profitability of existing companies before establishing oneself. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Kristiansand for this industry.