Owners in the footwear retail sector are experiencing deep distress due to loss of income, which has led many of them to close their shutters. This is a sector in decline, specifically in Catalonia, where the number of stores has decreased by 21.3% between 2017 and 2021, according to data from the Generalitat.
The Catalan capital is going through the same situation. Barcelona had 808 shoe and leather stores before the pandemic (2019), but in 2022 the number fell to 621. This means that three out of every ten shoe stores have closed in recent years.
In the meantime, there are still some “survivors” who can make a living from their trade, such as David Martínez, shoemaker and owner of Calçat a mida Miras. David, 59, runs a custom orthopedic footwear business in the Barcelona neighborhood of Sant Andreu. He became interested in the trade when he was only 16 years old, when he helped his father in the family business.
“I officially started when I was 22 and learned thanks to my father and two master shoemakers. We don't have a school and the only way to transmit knowledge is from one person to another,” the veteran shoemaker, who hopes to retire doing what he likes most, tells La Vanguardia. He himself carries out the process of making his clients' footwear, adapting to the circumstances of each foot. His clients come from all over Catalonia because “there are very few of us” and “we are all on the brink of retirement.”
Precisely, it is the lack of generational change, one of the reasons why multi-brand stores are forced to close. But not the only one. Gemma Morera, vice president of the National Footwear Trade Association (ANCC), tells La Vanguardia that she sees a “very dark future” for small neighborhood businesses and, specifically, that of her sector: footwear.
“Many stores are unable to sustain the high prices of rent, land, taxes and bills. To this we must add the impact of online sales and the competition of suppliers, causing many businesses and large chains to end up going bankrupt.”
Morera is also the owner of the Calzados Quetglas chain, with six stores located in Barcelona: "Although my husband is the second generation of shoemakers, we want the best for our son and, therefore, we do not want him to continue with the business."
The vice president of the ANCC explains that merchants do not want “aid for digitalization”, alluding to the digital kit that the Government grants with aid ranging from 2,000 euros to 12,000 euros to invest in the digitalization of each company. “No matter how much we pay in positioning, we will never be able to reach the level of the large international digital platforms like Amazon or Zalando. We are not going to sell more. What we do need are laws that regulate aggressive sales and discounts, rent assistance or subsidies for renovations. “We give life to the neighborhoods of the cities, the moment we leave the cities will be dead.”
From the ANCC they try to make suppliers aware of the serious situation they are going through and remind them that, when there are no “shoe testers” as many businesses have become, it will also harm them.
The rise of online sales to the detriment of small businesses was reflected with the pandemic. “The sale of fashion and footwear in Spain was 7% in 2019, while in 2021 it reached 21%. A figure that has been maintained to this day,” says David García, Executive Director of MODACC - Català Fashion and Textile Cluster, which brings together 150 brands. García says that turnover is slowing down this year and one of the main concerns of the sector is exports.
Consumer habits have also experienced a notable change in recent years with the reduction of more casual shoes and the rise of sports shoes. “Comfort is an attribute that is increasingly valued, and more formal footwear has greatly reduced its market share in relation to casual footwear. It is a very clear trend in the market, as is also the trend in the sports world in general clothing,” says García.
Given the obstacles that the sector is going through, David García assures that the owners who manage to survive are those who offer unique products aimed at specific clients. A task that is not always easy in the current context. Roger Amigó has been trying this since he opened his small artisan shoe store in the Born neighborhood in Barcelona.
His love for footwear since he was little led him to close his film production company and immerse himself in this sector. Nu is the name of his shoe store, a tastefully designed store where he spends his days chatting with customers from all over the world. “I have clients who are passing through the city and others who come on a recurring basis,” says Amigó. They are shoes – the shoemaker himself assures – of minimalist design, of good quality and manufactured in a workshop in Andalusia, and one of the models honors the memory of his grandfather Evarist Bertrán.
Their collection is small, approximately 12 models between men and women, timeless, and the price range ranges between €350-500. Their goal is to produce shoes “without an expiration date,” and “repair the sole or rubber whenever you want to continue using them.” Roger Amigó believes that the secret to being able to “make a living” from footwear is to have a “high quality,” “differentiated” product and “a good location” for your business.
