Store of the month January 2023: Andebergs skor

The first store to be named Store of the Month in 2023 is Anderberg’s skor. The store has been around since 1938 and is a family business that is run by the second and third generations. We interviewed Caroline Nelje to find out more about the history of Anderberg’s skor and what she finds most enjoyable about continuing to run the family business.

Tell us about Anderberg’s skor, how did it all begin?
The store was founded in the early 1930s in Varberg by Milda Anderberg and she ran the store for several years together with her employees. In 1938, Milda fell ill and passed away, after that my grandfather’s father bought the shop. Grandfather Evert was then 18 years old and had just graduated from a trade school in Gothenburg, and he continued to run the shop together with shop assistants who taught him everything about shoes. A few years later, my grandfather bought the store from his father and in 1958 the store in Falkenberg was opened. In the early 80s, the daughters Christina and Margareta started working in the company. After Evert’s passing, the sisters owned the stores together for many years, but since 2015 it is me, Margareta and my brother Henrik who own Anderbergs skor. We sell shoes for the whole family and offer children’s, women’s and men’s shoes. Our ambition is for everyone to be able to buy shoes from us, young and old. Since 2018 we also have sales in our own webshop and at Topshoes.

What is the most fun thing about running a store?
The absolute most fun thing about running a shoe store is SHOES! I love shoes and was born in a shoebox and raised in the store. I am passionate about finding the right shoes and assortment for our customers in the stores. We have fantastic personnel and many loyal customers who make the job so much fun. It is a wonderful mix of fashion, marketing, sales and personal responsibility.

What would you say is your biggest asset, as well as your biggest challenge?
We are an old company and we have a lot of experience, we have been through many good and bad periods over the years. In Varberg, which is our “main store”, we have a very large store area and warehouse where we have room for our wide assortment. Varberg is a city that has a very large influx of people, and politicians here invest in a lively city center. We get many new customers who are visiting or are on holiday in Varberg, but of course we also have our loyal local customers. There are many challenges and the climate for stores today is tough, there are many both in the physical trade but also online. But we continue to have a good and wide range both in store and in the online stores. In recent seasons, there have been some problems with late deliveries, which is a challenge, as well as long lead times that lead to early purchases.

Tell us about your best recipe for success?
I think the combination of physical stores and online sales is our greatest strength. Our wide range and our personal service. We have fantastic staff in our stores who offer customers a personal and pleasant service. Since the bag store in Varberg closed, we have also started selling bags which have been a nice addition to the stores. I am also eternally grateful for my size 37 feet, which makes it possible to try all shoes before buying.

What motivates you to run a store?
I am very grateful to have the opportunity to continue to run our fine family business, as the number of independent stores decreases over time. Having the freedom and the opportunity to decide the range and the company’s development together with my mother and brother is a lot of fun.

Andebergs skor on social media:
Instagram: @anderbergsskor
Facebook: @Anderbergsskor