37 Best Shoe Business ideas You Can Start Today

Do you want to start a shoe business but you want to go niche and be unique? If YES, here are 37 best shoe related business ideas & opportunities.

Getting it right in business requires that you settle for a business that you are passionate about and of course a business that can attract customers irrespective of their financial capacity. One of such businesses is a shoe related business. Human beings would always put on one form of footwear or the other.

Shoes cum footwear can be pure leather, synthetic leader, fabric or rubber. This goes to show that there is indeed a very large market for shoes in our world; hence loads of investors are pitching their tent in the footwear industry.

The demand for shoes is driven by fashion, demographics, and of course consumer disposable income. The profitability of individual footwear related businesses depend on their ability to design and market shoe models that effectively target consumers’ tastes and preferences.

Large footwear companies have economies of scale in distribution and marketing and small scale footwear companies can compete successfully by crafting customized shoes and footwear based in their client’s preferences.

When it comes to starting a shoe related business, there are loads of business ideas you can choose from and you will be rest assured to make headway in the business if you carry out the necessary market survey and feasibility studies. If you are interested in starting a shoe related business in the united states of America, here are 37 thriving shoe related business ideas in the United States that you can choose from.

Best Shoe Business ideas

1. Open a Shoe Retail Store

One of the easiest and perhaps popular shoe related business in the United States that you will sure find loads of entrepreneurs involved in is running a shoe retail store. As the name of the business implies, shoe retailing stores basically retail footwear.

Shoes stores purchase footwear from wholesalers and retail them directly to the end users. If you are interested in starting a shoe retail store business, you have to ensure that your store is well-stocked with a wide range of shoes from different manufacturing companies both within and outside the United States of America.

2. Shoe and Footwear Manufacturing Company

Starting a shoe and footwear manufacturing company is one major shoe related business idea that an investor with reasonable startup capital should consider. Businesses in the shoe and footwear industry manufacture footwear for men, women and children.

They equally manufacture footwear in different forms such as rubber and plastic footwear, protective footwear (Safety boots), house slippers and slipper socks.

Companies in this line of business also manufacture footwear specifically designed for casual, formal and work environments. So, if you are considering starting a shoe related business in the United States, then you should consider settling for shoe and footwear manufacturing.

3. Open an Online Shoe Store

Opening an online shoe store is yet another thriving and profitable shoe related business that is doing pretty well in the United States of America.

Online shoe stores are one of the major users of the internet. If you visit the internet, you will discover countless online shoe stores that are retailing different labels and designs of shoes at a price that is most often cheaper than what you can get from physical shoe stores around you.

One good thing about starting an online shoe store business is that once you are able to gain the confidence of the online community, you will be amazed at the rate people will patronize your store especially if you have the right stocks. Just ensure that you deal directly with popular labels and you will be able to get stocks at the right prices so you can sell at competitive prices.

4. Shoe Repair Shop

Another good shoe related business idea that an entrepreneur can successfully launch in the United States of America is to open a shoe repair shop business.

If you are interested in starting a shoe repair shop business, then you must be ready to undergo some form of apprenticeship or training. The fact that shoes are subjected to wear and tear goes to show that there is indeed a very large market for shoe repair.

5. Retail Sports Footwear

Retailing strictly sports footwear is one good shoe related business idea that any interested business minded person can launch in the United States of America. You will agree that those that retail sports footwear do not sell other types of shoes.

As a matter of fact, there is a pretty large market for sports shoes in the United States of America and of course in other countries of the world. You can find football boots, sneakers, canvass and athletic spike shoes amongst others in sports footwear retail outlets.

Supplies are sourced from sporting goods manufacturers and wholesalers and then sold to the general public via retail stores. So, if you are looking towards starting a shoe related business idea, then one of your options is to settle for sports footwear retail outlet.

6. Start a Sneaker Line Production Business

Starting a sneaker line production business is of course another profitable shoe related business idea. Sneaker line business just like most businesses, thrives on creativity, branding and good business skills. Any aspiring entrepreneur can start a sneaker line as long as they are creative, they can get people to promote their brand, and they have good business skills.

The starting size of this type of business doesn’t really matter as long as the business is built on the right foundation and with the right combination of skills and talents.

7. Open a Sneaker Store Outlet

A sneaker store outlet is one of the many shoe related business ideas someone with minimal capital can successfully start in the United States of America. A sneaker store outlet can be opened in any part of the world and the owner of the business can still make good profit from it if the store is stocked with varieties of sneakers from different designers.

The truth is that the demand for sneakers is not going to abate soon, and as such if you intend opening your sneaker store, then you must take out time to learn the art of buying and selling.

8. Open Handmade Shoe Cottage Company

There are people who wouldn’t mind spending some good money just to ensure that they do not put on mass production shoes.

Such people are the regular patrons of hand crafted shoes or better put, customized shoes. The advantage handmade shoe cottage companies have over mass production shoe companies is that a customer can assist in designing the type of shoe they want.

Customized handmade shoes usually cost more than mass production shoes, but that does not stop them from generating enough income to keep the business going.

So, if you are a shoe maker and you are interested in starting a shoe related business, then one of your best options is to open a handmade shoe cottage company. Aside from servicing people within your immediate community, you can get others from outside your city or state or even country depending on how you promote your work.

9. Open an All Ladies Shoe Store

Another interesting and of course high-volume sale shoe related business idea that an aspiring entrepreneur with little or no skills can successfully start in the United States is to open an all ladies shoe store. An all ladies shoe store is dedicated to the sale of only ladies’ shoes.

In such stores, you are expected to see ladies high – heel shoes, wedges, flats, cover shoes, sandals, slippers, boots amongst others.

One good thing about this business is that you would have a comfortable customer base because statistics shows that ladies spend a lot of money buying shoes. So, if you are looking towards starting a shoe related business, then you should consider opening an all ladies’ shoe store.

10. Open Babies Shoe Store

Opening babies shoe store is yet another interesting shoe related business idea. In the real sense of it, it is easier for a shoe store that retails only baby shoes to generate more sales than shoe stores that retail shoes for all and sundry. This is because a customer who wants to purchase babies shoes is likely going to have more options when they visit baby shoe stores than a regular shoe store.

11. Start a Shoe Designing Company

If you are interested in starting a shoe related business but you don’t have the financial capacity to start a footwear manufacturing factory, one of your options is to start a shoe designing company. As a shoe designer, your job is to help footwear manufacturing companies come up with unique designs.

The truth is that if you are good with designing shoes, you will not struggle to attract footwear manufacturing companies.

12. Mass Production of Rubber Shoes

Another shoe related business idea that an investor who is interested in making money can successfully start in the United States of America is to go into the mass production of rubber shoes. Although you may not be able to sell a lot of these shoes in the United States, but you can generate huge sales from developing countries if you export your products.

One good thing about this type of business is that you can situate your factory outside the United States in order to maximize profits. Places like China and india are good places to choose from if you are interested in the mass production of rubber shoes.

13. Supply of Leather to Shoe and Footwear Manufacturing Factory

Starting a shoe related business does not mean you are expected to go into shoe and footwear production. As a matter of fact, you can make good money from the footwear industry by engaging in the supply of leather and other raw materials to shoe and footwear manufacturing factories.

So, if you are looking towards starting a shoe related business in the United States of America and you have access to leather in commercial quantities, then your best bet is to go into the supply of different types of leather to footwear manufacturing factories in and around your city.

14. Supply of Latex to Rubber Shoe Manufacturing Companies

Latex is the raw material that is used in the production of rubber products and rubber shoe is one of them. So, if you are looking for a shoe related business to start in the United States, then you can consider starting a latex supply business.

This business is appropriate for you if you have a rubber plantation or you know how to access a rubber plantation in your location.

15. Supply of Dye to Leather Shoe Manufacturing Companies

Supply of dye is yet another profitable shoe related business that is open to all and sundry. Dye is a raw material that is used in the textile and leather processing industry.

Dyes are gotten from plants and if you know how to access dye in commercial quantity, then you should consider starting a dye supply business. Just ensure that you target leather shoe and footwear manufacturing factories in and around your city if indeed you want to generate good income from the business.

16. Supply of Gum to Shoe Manufacturing Companies

Another shoe related business idea is the supply of gum. Shoe manufacturing industry, belt manufacturers and a host of other companies rely on the supply of gum. This goes to show that there is a large market for the product. If you intend maximizing profits in this line of business, then you should ensure that you go into the farming of gum trees.

17. Supply of Synthetic Leather to Footwear Manufacturing Companies

Aside from real leather shoes which are usually expensive, there are synthetic leather shoes. Most people cannot afford real leather shoes hence they opt for synthetic leather shoes.

As a matter of fact, it is common to find the average person settling for synthetic leather shoes as against real leather shoes because of the cost. So, if you are looking towards starting a shoe related business, then you can supplying synthetic leather to shoe companies.

18. Manufacture Flip-Flops

Manufacturing flip-flops is one good shoe related business idea that you are going to make good money from in the United States of America. Flip-flops come in different sizes, colors and designs. Some are used strictly indoors and others can be used outdoors but the bottom line is that they are cheap and easy on the feet.

So, if you are interested in starting a shoe related business in the United States of America, one of the shoe related businesses you can settle for is the production of flip flops. Just ensure that you have robust distribution network that spans across the United States of America and you will be amazed at the income you will generate from this business.

19. Manufacture Shoe Polish

The fact that shoe polish is used by shoe owners means that the production of shoe polish is part of the businesses under the business value chain of the shoe and footwear manufacturing industry. If you are interested in starting a shoe related business and you don’t want to go into shoe and footwear production, then you can settle for the production of shoe polish.

20. Open an All-Male Shoe Store

Another profitable shoe related business that an aspiring entrepreneur with little or no skills can successfully start in the United States is to open an all-male shoe store.

An all-male shoe store is dedicated to the sale of only male shoes. So, if you want to start a shoe related business, then you should consider opening an all-male shoe store. Just ensure that your store is well stocked with shoes from different manufacturing brands and your store is easily accessible.

21. Go into The Production of Football Boots

Football is obviously one of the most popular sports in the globe and playing football requires that you wear a boot, thus the business has a lot of patronage. So, if you are looking for a shoe related business to start in the United States of America, then you can go into the production of football boots.

You don’t have to be as big as major football boots manufacturing brands like Puma, Nike and Adidas et al before you make it in this line of business. All you need is just a fraction of the existing market and you will be fine.

22. Production of Rain and Snow boots

The production of rain boots and snow boots is yet another viable shoe related business that an investor who is interested in starting a shoe related business can start in the United States of America. In a calendar year, there will be spring and there will be winter and as such, people will always go for rain boots and snow boots if they want to protect their feet and walk freely during these seasons.

So, if you are looking towards starting a shoe related business, then one of your options is to go into the production of rain and snow boots. Even though the sale of these shoes is seasonal, but there is a large market for them in the United States of America.

23. Go into The Production of Safety Boots

Another profitable shoe related business that an entrepreneur can consider starting is to go into the production of safety boots. In the construction field, engineering field, oil and gas and in the agriculture industry, it is part of the safety measure for workers to not only wear safety helmets, but also to wear safety boots.

This goes to show that there is indeed a vibrant market for safety boots. So, if you are interested in starting a shoe related business in the United States, then one of your options is to go into the production of safety boots.

24. Open a Used Shoe Consignment Store

People with low income usually settle for used shoes because they are pretty cheap and affordable. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to target customers in the United States if you are interested in this type of business. You can target countries in Africa and the Caribbean where loads of people will be more than willing to purchase used shoes that are shipped in from the United States of America.

So, if you are looking for a fast selling shoe related business idea to settle for, then you should consider opening a used shoe consignment store or start exporting used shoes to other countries of the world.

25. Start Blogging About Shoes

It is no longer news that people are making good money from blogging. One good thing about blogging is that if you are vast in the subject matter you are blogging about, you are sure going to attract traffic to your blog and that will translate to money for you.

So, if you are interested in starting a shoe related business, then you should consider blogging on shoes. The truth is that if your shoe blog attracts loads of visitors from within and outside the United States of America, then you can be rest assured to attract adverts from top shoes and footwear manufacturing brands.

26. Go into The Production and Supply of Shoe Soles

Another business relating to the manufacture of shoes is the supply of shoe soles to shoe manufacturing companies. Shoe soles are used to replace worn out soles when they are taken for repair or refurbishing. If you are into the production and supply of shoe soles, your customers will not be restricted to handmade shoe crafters as you can also reach major footwear manufacturing companies.

27. Production and Supply of Shoe Laces

The production and supply of shoe laces is yet another good shoe related business idea that is open to interested entrepreneurs. There is a large market for shoe laces, because shoe lace can easily be replaced when they get lost or worn out. As a matter of fact, you can be a major supplier of shoe laces to shoe and footwear manufacturing companies.

28. Organize Business Expos and Trade Fairs for Footwear Manufacturers

Do you know that footwear manufacturers and brands will be glad to leverage on a platform to promote their brands? One of such platforms that can bring different footwear manufacturers under one roof is a business expo and trade fair.

In essence, if you are interested in starting a shoe related business and you are good at organizing events, then one of your best options is to organize business expos for footwear manufacturers. If your business expo is well – organized and packaged, you will attract loads of shoes and footwear manufacturers in and around your city.

29. Go into The Production and Supply of Shoe Buckles

Another viable shoe related business idea that an aspiring entrepreneur can successfully start in the United States of America is the production and supply of shoe buckles. Shoe buckle is a component of shoes and it is part of the materials used in the manufacture of shoes.

So, if you are interested in starting a shoe related business and you have the financial capacity, then you can go into the production and supply of shoe buckles.

30. Open Children Shoe Store

Opening a shoe store that is dedicated to retailing children’s shoes is yet another easy to start shoe related business that an aspiring entrepreneur with little or no business skills can successfully start and make money from. In order to make it big with this type of business, you must ensure that you have a large variety of children’s shoes from different manufacturing brands in your store and your store is well positioned.

31. Start Wholesale Supply of Shoes

Starting a wholesale supply of shoes is another good shoe related business that a serious minded business man or woman can engage in and make good profits from.

If you are into wholesale supply of shoes, your customers will be shoe retailers who own stores all around the cities you are covering. You are expected to partner with shoe and footwear manufacturing companies. Good enough, you can become a supplier for as many shoe and footwear manufacturing brands as you can handle.

32. Go into The Production of Sandals

Another good shoe related business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start in the United States of America is to go into the production of sandals. Sandals are worn by adults and children especially during summer because of its simplicity and the comfort it brings.

The truth is that there is a large market of sandals in the United States and in other countries of the world. So, if you are looking for a shoe related business to start, then one of your options is to go into the production of sandals.

33. Open a Shoe Craft School

Opening a shoe making school is of course one pretty good shoe related business idea that is open to investors who are interested in the value chain of the shoe and footwear industry. A shoe making school is a vocational school that train people on how to make shoes.

There are loads of people out there who are willing to learn how to make shoes and if your shoe making school is well – equipped and located, you will sure attract them.

34. Military Footwear Manufacturing

If you prefer to be associated with the military, then you may want to consider starting a military footwear manufacturing company. One of the greatest things about this type of business is that you are sure to have great returns on your investment.

35. Bikers Customized Boots Manufacturing Business

This is yet another area where you can be sure of breaking even. There may not be too many people in this line of trade. Therefore you can consider starting this company. One of the things to consider when starting this business is that you have to know the source of your raw materials. Getting a hang of the source of raw materials will help you know how to manage and grow your business.

36. Riders Shoe Manufacturing Company

If you are a lover of horse riding, then one of the things that you may want to do to make some good money is to start a rider’s shoe manufacturing company. There is good money in this trade provided you know how to proceed.

37. Rock Climbing Boots manufacturing

You may also want to consider a rock climbing boots manufacturing business. Before you delve into this trade, you should know that boots in this category are usually very sturdy, so you have to be conversant with how to source the raw materials.

There you have it. Business ideas that are related to shoe manufacturing that will help you a great deal to break even.