The Zlín-based footwear company Vasky has acquired the legendary brand Botas, producing shoes since 1963 in Skuteč in the Chrudim region. Vasky spokesperson Aneta Zenkerová made the announcement. The company did not disclose the price of the deal.
According to the management of Botas, the company has been in liquidation since this year due to rising energy and materials costs, the loss of exports to Russia and other territories due to the war in Ukraine, and a lack of qualified labor.
The founder of the Zlín-based company, Václav Staněk, had previously stated that Vasky was interested in the Botas brand and had prepared a sale of discounted pairs of their shoes with the proceeds intended to buy the Botas brand.
However, according to Botas co-owner František Nestával, there were other interested parties. The purchase agreement took several weeks to negotiate, and a new collection was created in collaboration with the Vasky and Botas brands, which went on sale on Wednesday.
Shoemakers and sewists will make the collaboration between Vasky and Botas shoes in Zlín. Customers can look forward to both original and redesigned models of Botas shoes. As production will only begin in the coming months, customers must wait longer for their Botas shoes. The Botas brand was previously a Czech footwear legend but has lived in the shadow of its former glory. It is time to show that Botas shoes still have something to offer, said Staněk.
Botas achieved a post-tax profit of CZK 7.676 million in 2021. The year before, it had a loss of CZK 2.930 million. Revenue from the sale of products and services increased by 55% YoY to CZK 39.33 million in 2021. However, the results of 2021 were significantly influenced by the sale of unnecessary real estate.
The company would have ended the year with a slight loss from its ordinary activities. The company has not yet released last year’s results. Botas, originally called Botana, was established in 1949 through the merger of smaller nationalized companies from Skuteč and its surroundings. The Botas brand combines the words “bota” and “Skuteč.”