Store of the Month June 2023: Visko

In Skene we find Visko, Store of the Month for June 2023 . The company is a family-owned shoe company that started as a shoe factory in the 70s and is run by the second generation. Today, the store has been expanded to more than it’s double size and offer shoes for the whole family. We have met Petra, one of the store owners, to hear more about the company’s development and her best tips on how to treat the customer. .

Tell us about Visko, how did it all start?
Our father Stig Börjezon started Visko, he was originally a shoemaker in the 70s. He received an offer together with two co-workers to buy the company Viskadalenskoindustri in 1980. Then the premises, that we still house in today, were built. However, production was slow in the mid-80s and they had to come up with a new direction for the company, which was to start selling shoes. At first on a modest scale with mostly bankrupt and residual lots. He soon became the sole owner and expanded during the 90s and then expanded to double the size. Since then, we have expanded one more time and now we have a shop area of approximately. 1200 square meters and an equally large warehouse.

We did a generational change in 2014 and now Stig’s children; Petra, Fredrik, Sandra, and Sofia own the business. We have around 12 employees in the company and Stig’s grandchildren also work in the store, which is great fun. Unfortunately, Stig passed away in August 2022 after a short period of illness.

What kind of range do you offer and what type of customer do you target?
We started a simple online store two years before the pandemic, which was nice when sales declined in 2020. Then, it developed into a great platform for our customers. We have also opened a small shoemaker in our premises. We have long lacked a cobbler in the area, so the decision was made that Fredrik and one of our employees Jenny trained with the help of Brunner. Today, we can offer, among other things, sewing work, changing zippers, gluing, heeling, which is very much appreciated.

How do you work with your strategy when it comes to range?
Our business idea has always been to have shoes for the whole family. Hence our very wide range with most things in the way of shoes. We offer everything from the slightly cheaper, to the more expensive branded goods. We have also had a large department with children’s clothes and bags since three years ago. Our largest customer group is families with children, but we naturally address the broad masses. We address those who are looking for a large selection and fine personal service.

What is your best tips on how to treat the customer in the best possible way?
With us, the customer is always at the center and service is the most important thing. The customer must be seen immediately when they step in and be offered help. We are often told that we have a very knowledgeable and friendly staff, which warms the heart. It is rare that the customer does not find what they are looking for in our store.

What would you say is your biggest recipe for success?
That we have become what we have become today, that is probably due to our father’s burning interest in finding good shoes at good prices. His vision lives on, to be able to offer as much as possible under one roof and try to get a large and unique range that the chains can’t match. Time is money and many of our customers appreciate not having to go around several stores to find what they need.

Visko on social media: 
Instagram: @viskobrands
Facebook: @visko

Pictured above: The four siblings who run Visko, Fredrik Börjesson, Petra Gustafsson, Sandra Börjesson and Sofia Lagerhult.