How Much Money Do You Need to Start a Shoe Store Business?

by Allison Dodge, Demand Media
Financing a shoe store business requires additional items besides initial shoe inventory.


Jack Hollingsworth/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Women who love shoes may dream and fantasize about one day starting and opening a shoe store. This dream can become a reality though for anyone wanting to pursue it since shoes are something every person needs. Learning what is involved in opening this type of store is the first step, and this includes determining how much money is needed to start a shoe business.


Obtaining the initial inventory required to open and start a shoe store business is often one of the biggest expenses faced when starting out. Business plan samples from the website indicate shoe store owners should set aside a minimum of $15,000 for the initial purchase of shoes for the store.


The cost of location varies depending upon the city and neighborhood where you might start your shoe store. Trendy neighborhoods in metropolitan areas often have commercial properties with a higher dollar amount per square foot than smaller cities or less desirable neighborhoods. The amount of square footage you obtain and whether you rent or buy will also influence your location costs.


Shoe stores need to have the proper zoning permits, a certificate of occupancy and generally a business license before they open their doors to the public. While each of these items generally cost between $50 and $200 depending upon municipality rates. These are items that need to be factored into the cost of starting a shoe store business.


The cost of advertising your new shoe store varies based on what avenues you want to use to promote your business. Television and radio commercials can cost thousands of dollars depending upon the station as well as the frequency and time ads are played. Using Internet social media tools though allows you to promote your company on Twitter, Facebook and other sites for free. Assess the amount of start-up money you have to determine how much you should spend on advertising.

Operating Expenses

While ideally your shoe store would be an overnight sensation, the reality is that it will take to build up a customer base that supports your store and makes it profitable. A shoe store business should have enough cash to cover a minimum of three to six months of operating expenses before it even opens to the public. Determine what the cost of paying for you location, utilities, staff, advertising and additional inventory will be during this time. Add it to the additional start-up expenses to get an accurate amount of the money you need to open a shoe store business.

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