Profiles of all of the winners of the 2024 Best Running Stores.

605 RUNNING COMPANY

Two locations in Sioux Falls, SD

run605.com

Key Personnel: Greg Koch, Owner; Derrick Ettel, Operations Manager; Morgan Sauer, Marketing Manager

History: Founded in 2014, 605 Running Company operates two locations and has grown into a cornerstone of the Sioux Falls running community. Its specialized services include retail, race timing via ChronoTrack, individualized run coaching and event management. Its events alone contribute more than $30,000 annually to nine local organizations, reinforcing its commitment to making an impact far beyond retail. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our uniqueness lies in our unwavering commitment to the community. Our tenured team goes beyond transactional service; we focus on listening, understanding and uplifting Sioux Falls through the power of running. We utilize data from every fitting to offer great service and to build excellent partnerships with our brands. From beginners to seasoned athletes, every customer is treated with empathy and support, reflecting our mission to serve not just as a store but as an integral part of the local running ecosystem.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It is a testament to the relentless hard work our team puts into uplifting the Sioux Falls community through running. It validates our efforts as brand partners and as a business focused on delivering exceptional service, fostering a culture of inclusivity and building a thriving running community.” 

Plans for 2025:  “Big things are on the horizon for 605 Running Company in 2025. We are on a mission to make Sioux Falls a destination city for running. We’re transforming part of our downtown headquarters into a training facility to better serve our run crew members and the broader community. We are adding staff to grow coaching services tailored to the needs of local runners, including strength training, group training and more. We are growing our race team, Zenith Endurance — this Diadora-sponsored team continues to bridge the gap from collegiate running to working professionals within our city. With our Club Cross Country Program, we are launching a summer club for youth runners, bridging the gap between track season and fall cross-country. We are also strengthening brand partnerships to ensure we offer the best gear and apparel available.” 

A SNAIL’S PACE

Four Southern California locations: Fountain Valley, Brea, Mission Viejo and Monrovia

shop.asnailspace.net

Key Personnel: Joe Lourenco, President

History: A Snail’s Pace was founded in 1979 by Dave Reynolds. Eddie Johnson came on as a partner in 1995. Joe Lourenco joined the company in 2000, became a partner in 2009 and then took over 100 percent of the company in July, 2022. The business currently operates four stores and a fifth location in Chino Hills is slated to open in Spring, 2025. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “It’s not unique to the industry, but our connection to our community is what makes us unique in Southern California. There aren’t many independent shops in SoCal. It’s a tricky market. We have been able to connect and build trust over four-and-a-half decades.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It’s great for staff to be recognized and for them to know that their hard work makes a difference.” 

Plans for 2025: “In addition to the new location, a fully remodeled flagship store in Brea will reopen (hopefully) before the first of the year. We will be introducing Pace and Pint into the shop, a 12-tap, post-run brewpub and gathering space for runners to meet pre- and post-run. We are working on expanding our kids’ track camp to include more dates, adding a second meet to our Sunset 5000 track series, and additional ‘unsanctioned’ runs under our Shadow Strike brand. Plus a few other tricks up our sleeve that we’ll reveal later in the year.” 

AARDVARK SPORTS SHOP

Bethlehem, PA

shop.aardvarksportsshop.com

Key Personnel: Bruce Haines, Owner

History:  Founded in 1984.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Aardvark Sports Shop is a values-based company that prioritizes being knowledgeable, encouraging, caring and fun. What makes us unique is our ability to incorporate these core values into what we do, not only through the fit process and customer experience, but also in our community-based events. Our staff embodies these values with customers every day in working with a wide array of the community, from elderly and injured individuals to elite runners and everyone in between.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It validates the hard work our staff has put in over the past decade to enhance the customer experience and create a distinctive shopping experience.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are excited to further expand on connecting values with customers. We are planning to incorporate our values into a quarterly theme by hosting specific events and curating media campaigns that further engage our community with our values. Some community events we are looking forward to expanding on are our Summer Community Walk Series that were added to our weekly group run events in 2024. In addition, we are planning to focus on adding events that highlight sustainability, youth athletics, women and LGBTQ+ and mental health awareness in the first two quarters of 2025.”  

AKTIVE SOLES PERFORMANCE FOOTWEAR

Palmer and Wasilla, AK

aktivesoles.com

Key Personnel: Anne Thomas, Owner, Certified Pedorthist, Dr. of Physical Therapy; Heidi Quinn, Race Director and Buyer; Josh Taylor, Marketing and Community Relations Manager; Rita Allen, Assistant Race Director; Jen Raeben, Chief Timer; Deakan Gross, Sales Associate/Race Assistant. Store Managers: Mackenzie Sprague, JoAnn Hinds. Sales Associates: Gail Taylor, Caelyn Raeben, Corbin Wilson, Coby Marvin

History: Aktive Soles was founded in 2007 in Palmer, AK, and expanded to two stores when the Wasilla location opened in 2023.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Being in Alaska is unique. We have the privilege of servicing a unique group of people who enjoy the challenges of the outdoors in our beautiful state. We pride ourselves on personalized service by offering an eight-point footscreen, performing RunDNA gait analyses, free weekly community runs – no matter the Alaskan weather – and races that only the brave, and perhaps crazy, will attempt.”

What the Award Means to Them: “We are so proud to receive this award. It validates the commitment to our mission and values and fuels us to keep fine-tuning our team and systems in our effort to provide gold star service and products for our customers.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are excited to continue our commitment to our community’s health and wellness and to offer our community gold star footwear and accessories that get them into the wild places of Alaska. We are committed to hosting five star events that enable runners and walkers of all abilities the opportunity to push their limits and take part in challenges they never thought possible.”

APPALACHIAN RUNNING COMPANY 

Eight Locations in Pennsylvania: Altoona, Erie, Camp Hill, York, Harrisburg, Carlisle, Waterfront, Wexford. Coming soon: Charlottesville, VA

apprunco.com

Key Personnel: Todd Lewis, President and CEO; Greg Wagner, VP-Purchasing, Board Chairman; Charlie Biddle, VP-Marketing; George Gripp, VP-Warehouse and Store Facilities; Russ Buchmann, VP-Technology; Mark Wagner, Retail Operations Manager, HR Director; Lauren Klapper, Marketing Director

History: Appalachian Running Company (AppRunCo) opened in 2008 in Carlisle, PA and now has eight locations in Pennsylvania and one store to open soon in Charlottesville, VA. AppRunCo’s parent company, Shoe Fly, also operates nearly a dozen stores across multiple states. Many AppRunCo stores – Altoona, Camp Hill, Harrisburg, York, Erie and Waterfront – share a location with Shoe Fly and offer euro-comfort brands and styles. 

What Makes Your Store Unique:  “We put all of our passion, experiences and expertise into service. As we have grown and expanded over the years, we’ve honed our ability to meet customers’ needs regardless of athletic ability or running speed. Additionally, our staff is eclectic, friendly and well-rounded. We have marathoners, college athletes, ultra runners, coaches, dads and moms on staff. We come from diverse backgrounds, but we all appreciate the places running and fitness have taken us.” 

What the Award Means to Them:  “Receiving this award is an incredible honor and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. For us, it’s more than just recognition; it’s a celebration of the relationships we’ve built with our customers and our community. This award motivates us to keep pushing forward, enhancing our expertise and providing the best possible experience for every customer who walks through our doors. It’s a shared victory that reminds us why we love what we do — helping people achieve their goals, one step at a time.” 

Plans for 2025: “2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for AppRunCo (and Shoe Fly). In the spring, we’ll complete the expansion project for our Altoona location, making it the largest shoe store in Pennsylvania. We’re also thrilled to announce the opening of a new AppRunCo location in Charlottesville, VA, alongside our existing Shoe Fly store there, which will allow us to connect with a wider base of customers outside of our loyal euro-fashion/comfort base.” 

BIG PEACH RUNNING COMPANY 

Thirteen stores in Georgia and Florida

BigPeachRunningCo.com

Key Personnel: Mike Cosentino, Chief Running Officer. Owners/GMs: Jay Stephenson, Alex Rodriguez, Fe Rodriguez, Abby Loggins, Zach Loggins, Scott Bascue. Area GMs: Matt Morlen, Jason Toney. Andrae Williams, Ride Experience Manager; Fernando Del Valle, GM. Managers: Steve DeMoss, Matthew Nathan, Molly Southern, Carolyn Cooper, Austin Elder. Store Managers: Edward Hargrove, Alissa McGinn, Sarah Madrid, Ryan Kyranakis

History:  Mike Cosentino founded Big Peach Running Company in Atlanta in 2004. The company currently operates 13 stores in Georgia and Florida.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “In addition to our brick-and-mortar and online business, we operate Big Peach on Wheels-Big Peach Running Co. and Big Peach Premium Screen Printing & Embroidery/Atlanta to increase the convenience for our guests and the efficiencies of our business. Our Peach Partner program (Big Peach Franchise/Atlanta) helps interested entrepreneurs become part of the industry and brings our commitment to Guest Services and Total Wellness to deserving communities everywhere.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It is a reflection of our love for this industry and the communities we serve.”

Plans for 2025: “Since Big Peach will be turning 21 next year, we have a brewery tour lined up across the various communities we have the good fortune of serving, including social runs, visits by Big Peach On-Wheels, raffles and giveaways from our vendor partners. We also have a couple new stores lined up and an association with Publix Marathon Weekend at the races in both Georgia and Florida.”

BULL CITY RUNNING COMPANY 

Two locations in Durham, NC

bullcityrunning.com

Key Personnel: Jason Page and Kim Chapman, Owners

History:  Bull City Running was established in 2008 and currently operates two locations in Durham, NC.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We’re the only locally-owned, independent running specialty shop in Durham, NC. 

What the Award Means to Them: “For the past 16 years we are proud to have been [and continue to be] the hub of our local running community. We have an important responsibility to our team, our partners, our athletes, our customers and our environment. We have created an expectation of excellence and a culture of collaboration. This award is equal parts reward and reminder — to celebrate our accomplishments, but also to challenge ourselves to think boldly and broadly about inclusivity, unparalleled customer service and community partnership.” 

Plans for 2025: “Continue to roll out new initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint: recycling and reuse partnerships, cupless racing and investing in apparel and footwear partners and products with a green story and priority. Also, roll out a new e-commerce platform and introduce a new signature race event.” 

CHARLOTTE RUNNING COMPANY

Charlotte, NC region

charlotterunning.com

Key Personnel: Scott Dvorak, Founder/Owner. Owners: Donny Forsyth, Jamie Davis, Harry Chandler, Brad Popple

History:  In the Summer of 2000, the Charlotte Running Company opened its doors in the historical Leeper-Wyatt Grocery store building in the South End District. It was initially a partnership between former professional distance runners Scott Dvorak and Eric Hichman (the latter departed the company in 2003). Dvorak opened a second store in South Charlotte in 2006. In 2009, Donny Forsyth joined CRC as the first brand partner with his purchase of the Promenade store in South Charlotte from Forsythe. The CRC owners group expanded in 2011 with the addition of Todd Joefreda, who partnered with Dvorak to open both the Mooresville and Northlake stores in 2014. With the purchase of both the Northlake and Mooresville locations, Jamie Davis joined the ownership group. That same year, Dvorak and Forsythe partnered to open the Riverwalk location in Rock Hill, SC. (CRC just opened a bigger and better CRC Riverwalk with a bar and outside patio in October of 2024.) Meanwhile, Michigan native Harry Chandler moved to Charlotte to join the CLC team in 2016 and joined the ownership group in 2022. Finally, in 2023, Brad Popple, a CLC alum, returned to join the ownership group.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Charlotte Running Company is a leader in our community and in the running industry. Our continued growth is attributed to the culture and passion of our owners and employees. Our employees make every customer feel like they belong and are part of the Charlotte Running Company family.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Receiving this award reinforces that we are doing things the right way by connecting in and with the Charlotte running community. They are the reason we come to work every day, and we cannot thank our running community enough for all the support and love they’ve shown us, not just this past year but for the past 24 years. It also gives us a chance to celebrate all the hard work our staff puts in every day with every customer.”

Plans for 2025: “We plan to continue to make every customer feel welcome and a part of our family every day. We also plan to have big community celebration around our 25 Year Anniversary in 2025.”

CHARM CITY RUN

Eight retail locations: Annapolis, Baltimore City, Bel Air, Columbia, Frederick, Gaithersburg, and Timonium, MD; Rehoboth Beach, DE

charmcityrun.com

Key Personnel: Josh Levinson, Founder and CEO; Tom Mansfield, President

History: Charm City Run was founded in 2002 by Josh Levinson in Timonium, MD, just outside of Baltimore City. The business currently boasts eight store locations as well as a robust Events and Training business. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Charm City Run gets to know each and every one of our customers. We are interested in their journey and want to help them feel their best on their runs/walks as well as in their daily lives. Customers come to Charm City Run for the overall experience we provide, the expertise of our team members and the comfortable and inviting atmosphere.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Charm City Run is honored to be recognized as a 2024 Best Running Store, especially because the nominations come from our customers and it really means so much to us. It is our motivation to keep working our hardest to be the very best for our people.” 

Plans for 2025: “Charm City Run is excited to continue updating our existing stores to create the most amazing customer experience. From expanding our apparel and accessories offerings to reorganizing layouts, these renovated spaces will take the Charm City Run experience to the next level.” 

COASTAL SOLE

New Bern, NC

coastalsolenc.com

Key Personnel: Todd Whisnant, Owner; Matt Culbreth, Lead Sales Associate/Manager

History: Coastal Sole opened in March 2017, after owner Todd Whisnant left a franchise athletic footwear company after 18 years. He had previously worked on the corporate side of that franchise for 12 years. In January 2024, the store moved to a larger space, more than double the size of original location.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Although we’re a running specialty store, the majority of our business comes from doctor referrals. All combined, our staff has more than 50 years of experience in properly fitting customers into footwear.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This award is a great honor for me, our staff, my family and our community. Eight years ago, my family took a leap of faith with me to leave the company I’d been with for 30 years to pursue my dream of owning my own performance footwear company. We feel great community support and love, so we know it was the right decision for our family. Receiving this award further validates that scary step we took to chase a dream.” 

Plans for 2025: “We’re excited to bring in some new products we discovered at The Running Event. We think these new items will address the needs of both our running customers as well as our doctor-referred customers. The Running Event also gave us some great ideas of ways to continue to better serve our community. We hope to partner with local organizations to increase our involvement with young kids as well as finding ways to improve diversity in our running community.” 

COLUMBUS RUNNING COMPANY 

Six Central Ohio locations: Columbus, Dublin, Grove City, Pickerington, Powell, Westerville

columbusrunning.com

Key Personnel: Matt DeLeon and Eric Furth, Owners; Becca Bobo and Joey Mayo, GMs

History: CRC celebrated its 20th anniversary this past July. Over the past two decades, the growth has been fueled by an incredible staff, a series of seriously dedicated reps and a community that’s really embraced CRC’s vision. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We focus on our three R’s: retail, races and social runs. That means operating retail shops that serve as central gathering points for our community, but it obviously goes beyond that. Our race timing team puts on well over 100 races and meets annually and our staff leads more than 600 free social runs and walks. Our coaches put on summertime cross-country camps, too, and we annually host around 700 kids in our youth running program, the Grasshoppers. This year [2024] brought another fun milestone as it was our fifth consecutive Olympic cycle with CRC athletes competing in the Trials. We believe in supporting every level of our running and walking community. More than anything, that means stepping beyond our retail walls to provide meaningful opportunities for our runners to gather and have some fun.”

What the Award Means to Them: “There are incredible running specialty shops all across the country. It’s always an honor to be recognized amongst our peers and this award energizes our staff to push for even bigger and better goals as we keep moving ahead.” 

Plans for 2025: “We see 2025 as another year of growth. Our race timing team is growing, our training programs are drawing more newcomers and retail sales are up as we head into the new year. Over the next year, we’re planning to grow races like the Columbus 10K and Columbus Marathon in order to continue strengthening our place in our community and we’re empowering our managers to make their retail shops their own. Our outreach team had its strongest year yet in 2024 and we’re looking to host more Mobile CRC sales events at partner businesses around central Ohio. It’s an exciting time.” 

CONFLUENCE RUNNING 

Five locations across New York State: Binghamton, Hudson Valley, Corning, North Country, Ruthie’s Run (Lake Placid)

ConfluenceRunning.com

Key Personnel: Matthew Gawors, CEO and Owner; Jenna Gawors, COO and Owner; Kaylee Stone, Regional Manager; Eliana Gawors (two-years old), Shoe Bringer While Twirling, Investor

History: Confluence Running began as a single run specialty store in 2013 and has since expanded to multiple locations across New York. The expansion of stores and services, including Ruthie’s Run in Lake Placid, exemplifies the commitment to providing excellent products and expert knowledge to runners and outdoor enthusiasts. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Confluence Running distinguishes itself by offering a holistic approach to running and fitness and combining a diverse selection of running shoes, apparel and accessories with expert staff knowledge. The company has developed the Dynamic Footwear Specialists (DFS) certification program, a unique and research-based training for employees to elevate the customer experience and improve fit and performance. This commitment to education and professional development, combined with personalized customer service and innovative services like hiring a Licensed Physical Therapist, makes Confluence Running truly special in a highly competitive market.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Receiving this award is a profound honor and validation of our collective hard work and dedication. For our staff, it represents pride in their professional development, their commitment to serving others and the success of a customer-focused approach. This acknowledgment motivates us to continue innovating, fostering positive connections and supporting health and wellness for all. It is a reminder that together we can continue to build a vibrant, supportive and inspiring community for runners and beyond.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are focused on expanding and enhancing our new Middletown location, building its feel and fit to reflect the community and customer needs. This move, which involved relocating our Goshen location to Middletown, was made possible through a unique opportunity presented by the City of Middletown and we aim to make this location a true community hub for running and wellness enthusiasts. Additionally, in Lake Placid we are looking to renovate a second, three-bedroom Airbnb property right on Mirror Lake. Our Airbnb stays have been a key component of our community support, enabling us to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for raffles, nonprofits and other local initiatives. We are also committed to enhancing career development opportunities for our employees and we plan to introduce positional incentives and growth opportunities.” 

CT RUN COMPANY 

(Formerly Ridgefield Running Company)

Four Connecticut locations: Ridgefield, Darien, Stamford and Brookfield

ctrunco.com

Key Personnel: Megan Searfoss, Owner

History: Ridgefield Running Company recently rebranded as CT Run Co. to pull its stores together. The business consists of Ridgefield Running, Darien Running, Brookfield Running (opened in March 2024), and Darien Running at Chelsea Piers (Stamford, CT, opened September 2024). The new branding launched in recognition of Ridgefield Running Company’s 10th anniversary in late October, with updated signage, marketing materials and a refreshed online presence.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our team strives to tailor the fit experience to the person they are serving. Not everyone is a runner, but everyone needs to move forward comfortably.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It’s a huge source of pride for our team. We think about it all year and work hard to differentiate ourselves from any other retail experience.”

Plans for 2025: “We will continue to reach populations that don’t yet know the benefits of walking or running through events and clinics.” 

FLEET FEET CARRBORO & DURHAM 

Three North Carolina locations: Carrboro (one store) and Durham (two stores)

fleetfeet.c/scarrboro

Key Personnel: Jordan Ayers, Operating Partner; Blake Ursery, Carrboro Store Manager; Matt Gup, Durham (Southpoint) Store Manager; Samuel Johnson, Durham (Ninth St) Store Manager; Daisy Marbry, Community Outreach Director; Nora Ayers, Training Program Director

History: Fleet Feet Carrboro opened in downtown Carrboro in 1994 and has been a pillar of the community for 30 years. The Fleet Feet Durham Southpoint store opened in 2013 and most recently the Fleet Feet Ninth Street store opened in 2023.  

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our stores focus all operations on the theme that ‘Running Changes Everything’ and we have created an environment and community that reflects that. We open our doors to all — runners, walkers and folks that just need comfortable shoes and gear to help them throughout their lives. Our community events focus on bringing people together to share in a common goal of running, walking and moving together. We love to showcase products and gear, but we know that our people, our staff, our customers and our community members are what make us unique.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We are so grateful and excited to receive this award. We know how hard our team works and to have them recognized with this award is really incredible. We are only able to do all the wonderful things that we do because of them.” 

Plans for 2025: “This upcoming year will be building on all of the great momentum from 2024, with a focus on development. We will continue to develop the best and most knowledgeable staff and provide them with opportunities for professional and personal growth. We will develop and build our community to reach new members and connect people together. We will continue to support many local races, events and community partners through donations, in-kind support, education, knowledge and our belief that Running Changes Everything.” 

FLEET FEET CHARLESTON 

Four South Carolina locations: Mt. Pleasant, Summerville, Carnes Crossroads and West Ashley

fleetfeetmountpleasant.com

Key Personnel: Amy and Chris Minkel, Owners; Wade Wiley, GM; Eryn Groh and Sarah Harriman, Area Managers

History: Fleet Feet Charleston’s original location in Mt. Pleasant, founded by Chris and Amy Minkel, opened its doors in March 2013. With a mission to be a place where anyone in the community could come to get support to get moving or stay moving, they quickly recognized the need to expand, opening their second location in Summerville in August 2015. As the local community continued to grow, so did they, adding the Carnes Crossroads store in August 2021 and the most recent addition of the West Ashley location in November of 2023. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Fleet Feet Charleston is not just a collection of run specialty stores — it’s several thriving community hubs dedicated to helping runners, walkers and anyone who wants to move achieve their goals. Our team believes in education and developing relationships with customers. Through our emphasis on in-store hospitality, we hope each customer feels genuinely welcomed and that they receive a personalized and enjoyable shopping experience. In addition to our in-store experience, we have integrated our online store as another means for customers to shop and get the products they want or need. We believe in taking care of each other as strongly as we do our customers.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Receiving the Best Running Stores award is not just a milestone for our business, it’s a reflection of our community’s trust and support. It’s a testament to the collaborative spirit and passion of everyone at Fleet Feet Charleston, celebrating all the ways we’ve made a positive impact in our community over the years. It’s truly gratifying to see our efforts recognized at a national level and our team is inspired to continue to grow, improve and push the boundaries as we strive for excellence.” 

Plans for 2025: “Our core values are not just a sign on the wall. They are the foundation that affects every interaction and decision we make. Outside of our physical store locations we continue to find ways to give back to the community that has embraced and supported us for the past 12 years. Through volunteering our time and services to multiple local organizations to yearly team service projects, we are always in search of how we can serve.”

FLEET FEET FORT WAYNE

Two locations in Fort Wayne, IN

fleetfeet.com/s/fortwayne

Key Personnel: Jeanice Croy, Owner/CEO; Kevin Croy, Owner/President; Maggie Schuck, Shoe Buyer/Marketing Consultant; Sara Miller, Training Programs Director/Coach. Store Managers: Zachary Croy, Michael Conte 

History: Fleet Feet Fort Wayne was founded in August 2013 and operates two stores, Fleet Feet Fort Wayne North and Fleet Feet Fort Wayne Southwest, in the southwest region of Fort Wayne and Aboite Township. Jeanice Croy and Kevin Croy started Fleet Feet Fort Wayne 11 years ago with the specific goal to build a locally-owned running store that provides an inclusive fitness environment for all residents. This in turn would help promote a healthier lifestyle within the community. The founders knew that the city of Fort Wayne had a reputation for being one of the more unhealthy cities in the U.S. From the first day, Fleet Feet Fort Wayne set out to change all that by developing numerous training programs and events that specifically focused on the beginning runner or walker. As a result of these efforts, Fleet Feet Fort Wayne has been the quiet refuge for those seeking to improve their fitness lifestyle and thereby hopes to put to rest ‘The Fattest City in America’ moniker once and for all.”

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Fleet Feet Fort Wayne offers a retail experience complete with professional footwear fitting with the Fit ID 3D Scanner and Dynamic Scan Pressure Plate to accurately determine the proper footwear for each individual. Plus, we offer an abundance of training programs, from walking fitness classes to 5K training and even marathon training. The store’s staff and owners make sure that they start each day with the thought process of, ‘How can we change someone’s life in a positive way and make it better?’ Whether a customer is a medical referral from a local podiatrist or a person just wanting to run their first 5K, they are all greeted and made to feel welcomed. The store has received numerous awards and recognition for its community efforts, including being selected as a Best Running Store eight times in the past 10 years; YMCA Workplace Wellness Award; Recipient of Fleet Feet Fitlanthropy Grant; and Fort 4 Fitness Marathon/Half Marathon Business Volunteer Award.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Fleet Feet Fort Wayne’s staff and owners are very thankful and humbled to receive this award. We acknowledge that this award would have not been possible without the passion and dedication of its staff and the overwhelming support of the Fort Wayne community. This award reaffirms that we are maintaining our commitment to our core values in maintaining a superior retail and fitness experience to our customers.”

Plans for 2025: “Fleet Feet Fort Wayne owners and staff have plans to continue aggressive sales growth in the Northeast Indiana market by approximately 11 percent year over year. We also will be launching some local charity platforms to benefit our community. The first will be a Fort Wayne Youth Club Track/XC training program to begin January 1, 2025. For this we will be adding an additional coach, Josh Maple, to head this program up. The second [initiative] will be a comprehensive local shoe donation program in which our staff and management will set up quarterly shoe fits at several local community centers, such as Rescue Mission and Boys and Girls Clubs, where we will fit and donate shoes to those in the community that are in need. Our goal is to hopefully fit and donate over 500 pairs of shoes in our first year.”

FLEET FEET FOX VALLEY

Appleton, WI

fleetfeetfoxvalley.com

Key Personnel: Leah and Jeremy Schapiro, Owners

History: Since its establishment 15 years ago, Fleet Feet Fox Valley has been under the day-to-day direction of Jeremy and Leah Schapiro. They are a part of the fabric of the running community in Northeast Wisconsin and serve their community by leaning into location-specific decision-making while staying loyal to the many resources and opportunities to change lives that come with the Fleet Feet brand. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We have spent a decade-and-a-half refining our knowledge and skills in retail, staff development, event planning, product selection and more. Our team understands that the work they do inside the four walls of our business is driven by the desire to change individual lives through running, but also to give back and have a positive impact on our broader community. The mission of FFFV will always be to empower anyone who runs/walks through social experiences and personalized solutions by inspiring the runner/walker in everyone.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “When everything we sell is available in the palms of the customers’ hands, a people-centric environment is the secret sauce for our business. It empowers our team to take care of customer needs and to trust that we will support their decisions. Putting people first allows our leadership team to embrace feedback rather than defend against it. Customers do not feel rushed or pressured when shopping with us and the energy in the store is positive and inviting. Our programs and clinics are informed by input and feedback from attendees. All of this speaks to the culture we foster. An award like 2024 Best Running Stores validates that our culture and our values are shining through and resonating for the community we serve. That’s an amazing feeling for the entire team.” 

Plans for 2025: “Expansion and Refinement are our overarching themes for 2025 — new programs and services in more locations, expanding current sustainability practices and leveraging partnerships within and across our community. It is also our responsibility to lead by example as a small business in our community by doing the right thing, or the run thing as our brand-wide core value suggests. That means prioritizing a diversified portfolio of programs and using our megaphone to draw attention to local groups that are encouraging safe spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQAI+ runners/walkers/athletes and our aging population.” 

FLEET FEET LOUISVILLE

Two locations in Louisville, KY

fleetfeetlouisville.com

Key Personnel: Erin Getz, Operating Partner; Jesse Rogers, Retail Experience Manager (St. Matthews); Donnie Fry, Retail Experience Manager (Fern Creek); Myrdin Thompson, Training Program Director; Sam Snawder, Full-Time Outfitter & Team Lead

History: The Fleet Feet Louisville-St. Matthews location opened its doors in 1999, and Erin Getz has been the Operating Partner since 2017. Getz opened a second location, Fleet Feet Louisville-Fern Creek, in 2023.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “One of the most unique aspects of the Louisville running community is the overlap and support the groups have for each other. It’s really special. You’ll see people running with one group then heading to another later in the day or week, and groups sharing events, runs and races for each other. We are more than just a retail store — we are embedded in the community and love to give back.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We are very honored and humbled to have been nominated for this award. This is what keeps us going each and every day. It shows us that everything that we do for our customers and our community is being recognized and is making a difference. Cheers to many more years ahead.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are excited to kick off 2025 with new Training Program offerings, community events, spring races and giving back to the Louisville community.” 

FLEET FEET MONTCLAIR

Montclair, NJ

fleetfeet.com/s/montclair

Key Personnel: Owners John and Dawn Fabbro and a dedicated staff of 25-ish, including their three daughters and leadership team: Chelsea, Madeline and Emilia Fabbro, Paul Giuliano, Mary Spink, Bill VanTreuren, Axel Arroyo, Brenda Perez, Mike Spirko

History: Opened in November 1987, Fleet Feet Montclair was the second Fleet Feet location to open east of Lake Tahoe. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “As we celebrate our 37th year in business, we continue to live by our core belief that ‘Running Changes Everything.’ This isn’t just a slogan — it’s a guiding principle. Whether it’s cheering on our customers as they cross finish lines, helping them achieve personal milestones or fostering a thriving local economy, we’re proud of the impact we make every day. We also embrace our responsibility to give back, from local charity events to supporting global initiatives. Running, like life, isn’t a straight line; it’s about adapting, persevering, and keeping pace with what’s next. That’s why we value our incredible team who bring knowledge, creativity and energy to everything they do. We don’t just sell shoes; we’re invested in the journey of every runner, walker, person who walks through our doors.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Being recognized as one of the best in the business is a true honor. It’s a reflection of the grit, passion and dedication that our team pours into this store day after day. To be mentioned in the same breath as other outstanding independent run specialty stores is humbling. It’s a reminder that success takes hard work and constant innovation — and we’re ready to keep moving forward, one step at a time.”

Plans for 2025: “This will be a year of continued partnership with our vendors to engage in activations that grow the health and wellness of the local and national community. We’re focusing on medical outreach with doctors and physical therapists. Expanding workshops, fundraising events and training programs that empower marginalized voices within run specialty is always a priority.”

FLEET FEET NASHVILLE

Six locations in the Nashville, TN, area: Brentwood, Green Hills, Hendersonville, Murfeesboro, Mt. Juliet and Franklin 

fleetfeetnashville.com

Key Personnel: Christi Beth Adams, Owner

History: The first Middle Tennessee Fleet Feet location opened in February 2022 and the business has grown to six locations in and around Nashville. Having gone from employee to owner, Christi Beth Adams places a strong emphasis on both an exceptional customer and employee experience. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “The level of caring that our team has for all people of all paces is truly unmatched. We uniquely bring our vision to life through service and education. The three characteristics that come up most often in customer feedback is that our team is knowledgeable, patient and kind. What an honor that that is our legacy in our community.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We do what we do because we love serving others well — but it does feel validating when our team is recognized for their hard work and passion.” 

Plans for 2025: “We went from three to six stores at the end of 2023, so 2024 was mostly adjusting to the huge growth we experienced. Now that we’ve got solid store leadership and smoother operational processes in place, we’re ready to get back to a fierce focus on the customer experience in our store and our community, ensuring that every customer touch point is nothing short of amazing. We’ll also continue to lean into our philanthropic efforts to get shoes on the feet for those in need and work closely with non-profit partners to serve the Nashville community.” 

FLEET FEET NORTHERN NEW JERSEY

Four Northern New Jersey locations: Ridgewood, Morristown, Westfield and Summit

fleetfeet.com/s/northernnewjersey

Key Personnel: Teresa Dziob, Operating Partner. Store Managers: Dylan Lolya (Ridgewood); Sharanda Raheem (Morristown); Dennis Hassel (Westfield); Sarah Freeman (Summit)

History: Fleet Feet Northern NJ was founded in 1976. It began as the Running Company, then became Jack Rabbit and came to be Fleet Feet in 2021.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Fleet Feet Northern NJ is unique because we have a staff that truly cares. Everyone who comes into our stores will immediately get to sit with someone who loves the product, sure, but more importantly, loves to make a difference. Making the environment comfortable and welcoming is where our market really shines. We strive to make people comfortable and happy, not only in their running and walking gear, but in every interaction. We want people to leave with a smile on their face and a relationship with us that extends beyond a momentary transaction.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Everything. This award is an exciting level of validation for all of our efforts toward customer service and it’s so rewarding to finally have our passion recognized and to see that our love for customers and service came through in our stores and the experience we provide. While this award reaffirms that we are on the right path, we remain hungry to improve the ways we serve and engage with our communities.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are focusing on ways to better improve our in-store experience, to expand our community outreach efforts and bring the growth and development of our team to a new level. Through training events, group runs and other fun outreach efforts, we hope to bring our dynamic energy and fun-loving spirit to even more people this year and interact with our community like never before.” 

FLEET FEET WEST READING

West Reading, PA

fleetfeetwestreading.com

Key Personnel: Sorita E Averill, Owner/Founder; Jason Corby, GM; Craig Richards, Retail Experience Manager; Adriane Hoke, Inventory Manager; Thomas Joyce, Marketing Manager

History: Averill founded Fleet Feet West Reading in 2004 under the name A Running Start, driven by her vision of creating a service-focused store where runners of all ages and abilities could find the right shoes, apparel, and accessories. In 2018, A Running Start became part of the Fleet Feet family, expanding its reach and resources while continuing to serve the local running community. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our store is truly community-driven. We go beyond the traditional retail experience by partnering with local physical therapists who offer free consultations and educational workshops for our customers, helping them stay healthy and perform their best. Additionally, we collaborate with a sports psychologist to provide workshops on mental training, giving our customers tools to strengthen their mindset for training and competition. This holistic approach, integrating both physical and mental aspects, sets us apart and shows our commitment to supporting every aspect of our community’s athletic journey.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Receiving this award is an incredible honor and a testament to the dedication of our team. We’re deeply committed to providing exceptional customer service and sharing our expertise with each individual who walks through our doors. This recognition affirms the hard work our outfitters put into creating a welcoming and knowledgeable environment for our community and it inspires us to continue raising the bar.”

Plans for 2025: “We’re excited to deepen our community connections through even more events and workshops and we plan to have an even stronger presence at local races and high school and college meets. We believe that building community goes hand-in-hand with supporting our customers’ athletic pursuits and we’re looking forward to enhancing our outreach to help our local athletes reach new heights.” 

GAME CHANGERS RUNNING COMPANY

Three locations: Richmond Hill and St. Simons, GA; Amelia Island, FL

gamechangersrunningcompany.com

Key Personnel: John and Dana Cameron, Owners; Braden Colbert, Regional Manager. Store Managers: Kevin Hancock (Richmond Hill), Christine Ewart (St. Simons), Forrest Castor (Amelia Island)

History: Formerly named Georgia Game Changers Running Company, “Georgia” was removed from the name when the business expanded into Florida. The company was founded in 2012 and currently operates two stores in Georgia and one in Florida. A fourth location will be announced in early 2025.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “First, there are many great running stores across the country. I usually visit them in my travels and always leave impressed with how they are working on their craft and appreciate their willingness to share information. Where our stores are located allows us to tailor our SKUs to reflect regionality in assortment, color and styles that work well in those locations. We are going deeper on the investment on training for the teams at each location, which includes travel to partner learning events and other industry relation opportunities. We want to continue to separate from mass channels and bolster the reasons consumers should come to specialty and shop locally — we wake up every day looking for opportunities to create engagement locally in the regions we operate in.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We are super humble and grateful for this opportunity to be recognized again with many others in the industry. Our team was very excited to be recognized. When you look at our industry as a whole, we have an amazing opportunity to continue to drive value to the consumer through the exceptional people on staff at our stores.” 

Plans for 2025: “We plan to open our fourth location (to be announced soon) and plan to remodel our Richmond Hill location. We have kicked off our new Business to Business event calendar in which we pair running events with other local businesses and are seeing an uptick in post-event traffic. We hope to expand on this in 2025 across all locations.” 

GAZELLE SPORTS

Six Michigan locations: Grand Rapids, Grandville, Holland, Kalamazoo, Northville and Birmingham 

gazellesports.com

Key Personnel: Jen Brummitt, CEO; Christian Renoux, COO; Cara Cross, CMO; Angie Conflitti, Director of Purchasing; John Korrreck, Director of Supply Chain; Thomas Kessel, Director of Technology; Liz Knips, Finance Manager; Teri Poggione, HR Manager; Alyssa Davison, Grand Rapids Regional Manager. Grand Rapids Store Managers: Rebecca Wilkin, John Ranville, Adam Hutchens, Jaime Host, Ben Robbins 

History: Gazelle Sports opened its doors in Kalamazoo in 1985. It has since grown to include seven store locations, a successful e-commerce store and a full team uniform business. Gazelle Sports has been invested in longstanding community partnerships and will continue to innovate with new experiences each season — from signature events like She Runs Grand Rapids, to partnerships with events such as the Portage Invitational. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We are deeply invested in providing an exceptional experience and engage our teams in developing our plans for success. We are committed to fostering an environment of belonging for anyone who walks through our doors or steps up to the starting line of one of our events.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Our team takes personal pride in the care that we provide to every customer who walks through our door and to be recognized for that passion, talent and hard work is a very special honor.” 

Plans for 2025: “In the next year, we are excited to grow our signature events, host meetups in partnership with other downtown Grand Rapids businesses and celebrate the diverse running community that we are fortunate to support in Grand Rapids.”

GET FIT

Amarillo, TX

mygetfitplace.com

Key Personnel: Karen Roberts, Owner; Andrea Blackmore, Manager

History: Get Fit was founded by Karen Roberts in 2009.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “My sales team and our customers make us unique in that they truly care about each other. I believe that most running stores can say, ‘We treat our customers differently than other stores because we genuinely care about our customers’ health, goals and wellbeing.’” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This award means a tremendous amount to my team because it is a reward based on how we treat our customers and that tends to come back to us tenfold through their comments and successes. We live out our mission statement and core values on a daily basis while fitting customers in-store and at after-hours events outside the store. Our mission statement: Encouraging, educating and strengthening our community through movement. Our Core Values: To encourage, educate, be community-driven and to show team work and customer focus.” 

Plans for 2025: “We always look forward to the continued growth of our running community through events and races. We also have a plan to grow our medical and high school outreach through mobile fittings and having a presence at high school sporting events.” 

GOOD TIMES RUNNING COMPANY

Katy, TX 

goodtimesrunningco.com

Key Personnel: Owners: Andrea Witte, Nick Waak, Sarah Priest, Steve Brammer

History: Good Times Running Co. opened in October 2017 and operates as a single-store location.

What Makes Your Store Unique:  “The owners have worked together for close to 18 years in the running specialty industry. The GTRC team is small, but mighty. With 13 employees, we value community and holding space for new and experienced runners and walkers alike. Our collective roots grow deep in local running, triathlon and mentoring programs.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It’s everything! The award highlights GTRC’s impact and dedication to the Katy running community and recognizes the voices and testimonies of those whom we serve. It offers confidence for a continued presence as an independently owned and operated run specialty store.” 

Plans for 2025: “Our logo is blue, but GTRC is growing greener day by day with big changes of action in 2025. GTRC will also elevate the local non-profit initiatives and programs in which we’re involved to grow and receive greater exposure, such as Healthy Kids Running Series-Richmond Chapter and Arc of Katy Turkey Dash. And of course, more good times during our in-store events.”

GROUNDED RUNNING

Beaufort, SC

groundedrunning.com

Key Personnel: Tim and Elaine Waz, Owners; Jerry Navarro, Manager; Derek Comeford, Senior Sales Leader, Sage Rowley, Senior Merchandiser and Sales Leader

History: Grounded Running opened on November 6, 2016, expanded its first storefront from 1200-square feet to 3800-square feet in 2019 and grew its local racing and timing business from three races to currently 42 events annually, ranging from one-mile runs to 24-hour ultra-marathons. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “What sets Grounded Running apart is our genuine connection to the running community and our dedication to each customer’s unique journey. We’re more than a store; we’re a community hub where runners of all levels feel valued and supported. We don’t just sell shoes and gear — we take the time to understand each customer’s goals, challenges and story. Our staff, all runners themselves, bring expertise and empathy to create a personalized experience that goes beyond traditional retail. From group runs to local races, and one-on-one consultations, we’re dedicated to making Grounded Running a place where everyone can find the tools and encouragement they need to succeed.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Being named one of the Best Running Stores in America is a huge honor for me and the entire Grounded Running team. This recognition validates the passion, dedication and hard work we pour into supporting our community and providing the best possible experience for every runner who walks through our doors. It’s more than just a title; it’s a testament to the relationships we’ve built, the miles we’ve shared and our commitment to empowering each individual in their running journey.” 

Plans for 2025: “We’re expanding our web store to offer more products and services to runners nationwide, making it easier than ever for customers to access the quality gear and support they’ve come to trust from us. Alongside this, we’re thrilled to announce a new ad campaign that will launch early next year, designed to capture the heart and energy of our running community and share our mission with an even wider audience. Both of these initiatives reflect our commitment to helping runners everywhere connect with the tools and inspiration they need to reach their potential.” 

HOWE 2 RUN

Savannah, GA

howe2run.com

Key Personnel: Phillip Howe, Owner and CEO; Pamela Howe, Co-owner; Marc Cameron, GM

History: Howe2Run was founded in 2020 and just celebrated its fifth anniversary in August. Currently located in Savannah, GA, Howe2Run opened its original location in Hinesville, GA, in March of 2019. That store was only open for three weeks before suffering fire damage due to an arson attempt on the adjacent business. The Howes were devastated and had to rebuild at the current location in Savannah. Howe2Run continues to motivate other local aspiring business owners, and is proud to be “locally owned and community grown.” 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Two things make us unique. First, our specialized fit process. Every customer is put through a physical screening as our fit specialist discusses with them their running needs. We are not just a grab-a-shoe-and-go operation and we do not push brands. We also are here to provide various strength and stretching programs following our assessment. Our saying is, ‘You provide the goal, and we will help you attain it.’ The second thing we offer are well-attended, free weekly run groups inviting all levels of walkers, walk/runners and runners. Our weekly runs at the track on Tuesdays, our store on Wednesdays and at different great locations each Sunday, are raved about for their welcoming atmosphere, no matter each person’s ability.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It means that our hard work to set a standard of staying true to the run specialty model has paid off. We also are honored that the secret shopper had the experience that we feel our store stands for. As the owner, it also makes me feel very proud that the employee did what was expected of them during that process. We are also humbled and honored to be recognized alongside so many other great stores.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are hoping to open a second Howe2Run. We are currently looking at some amazing areas that we feel the Howe2Run brand and our dedication to true run specialty would fit in perfectly.”

I RUN TEXAS

Three locations in San Antonio, TX: Stone Oak, Bitters, Dominion

iruntexas.com

Key Personnel: Garrett Sage, Owner; Jess Winnett, Director of Retail Operations. Managers: Kelly Wetzel, Tina Berry 

History: In the beginning, there was Michele and Mitch Allen, who loved running and each other (not necessarily in that order). The two met on the running trails in Dallas and got married in 2003. In 2009 they moved to San Antonio, where they opened iRun Texas at the Stone Oak location. Each having some 40 years of running experience, they shared that knowledge and passion with their customers, while providing a place for runners to connect. The Allens then opened a second iRun location at Bitters in 2012 and a third store in the Dominion area in 2015. In September 2023, Garrett Sage purchased iRun. His previous nine years of run specialty experience included leading all company-owned (non-franchised) Fleet Feet locations across the U.S.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our people make our store unique. We have a tenured staff who are highly educated in fitting for running gear. We have four staff who have been with iRun for 10-plus years and eight who have been in the industry for over 10 years. We are the only locally owned and operated [run specialty] store in San Antonio.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “As a first-year owner who purchased a store with a legacy of receiving this award, it means a lot to me that our team continues the legacy of highly focused customer service and deep roots in the San Antonio running community.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are expanding our retail locations as well as the races we own and operate. We aim to continue our mission of being the most trusted name in running and fitness in San Antonio through community connection, personalized guidance and product curation.” 

JOHN’S RUN/WALK SHOP

Two locations in Lexington, KY 

johnsrunwalkshop.com

Key Personnel: Melody Marshall, Owner; Riley Marshall, GM; Matt Reno, Marketing Director; Kellen Agu-Kneeland, Running Shoe Buyer; Reace Marshall, Comfort Shoe Buyer; Lisa Thomas, Floor Manager; Eva Jackson, Race Manager 

History: John’s Run/Walk Shop opened its doors in 1978. Wanting to be more than just a shoe store, JRWS has always been dedicated to supporting and growing the local run/walk community. This has been achieved through John’s Bluegrass Racing Company, the race management arm of the business, and John’s Bluegrass Running Club. In 2002, John’s expanded its product line to lifestyle shoes, offering leather shoes and boots, sandals and more to keep customers comfortable through all areas of life. Both stores offer running and lifestyle footwear. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “John’s Run/Walk Shop prides itself on offering exceptional customer service that takes a holistic approach to shoe buying. We believe foot health is too important to leave to chance. That’s why our fit experts take the time to measure feet, perform a gait analysis and a wear pattern analysis and ask essential questions about foot pain, any discomfort and how the shoe will be utilized. Through group runs, charitable donations, community engagement and efforts toward environmental sustainability, we are dedicated to helping Central Kentucky remain a beautiful, vibrant place.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This award is validation that personable customer service and community engagement matter. In a time when shopping for anything, including shoes, can be done at home with a few clicks, people are still choosing to come into John’s Run/Walk Shop. There is tremendous value in speaking with friendly, knowledgeable foot experts. When shopping with a small, local business like JRWS, customers can feel good about putting their dollars back into their community while buying from people who care about making sure people are in the best shoes for their feet.” 

Plans for 2025: “Many of our 2025 plans involve building upon what worked in 2024. Two of the biggest successes were the launch of John’s Bluegrass Running Club sponsored by New Balance and the Kentucky Trail Run Series sponsored by Altra. This year, we revamped and rebranded our running group. While our group runs are still always free and open to all, we also offer a paid club membership with numerous benefits. Club members get race discounts, prizes for monthly challenges, members-only discount nights and more. The Trail Run Series gave participants the opportunity to explore various Central Kentucky locations over the course of eight monthly trail runs. In 2025, we plan to turn the series into a trail running club that will remain active year-round.” 

MILL CITY RUNNING

Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 

millcityrunning.com

Key Personnel: Bekah and Jeff Metzdorff, Owners; Chelsea Kipp, Director of Retail; Luke Windholz, Product Line Manager; Andrea Haus, Community and Marketing Manager

History: Mill City Running opened in 2013 in NE Minneapolis, and its sister store, Saint City Running, opened in Saint Paul in 2020. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “So much of what we’ve been able to accomplish as a store starts with our local community. As the business has grown, we’ve worked to stay true to our values and continue to emphasize the community over all else. We’ve been able to continue bringing the focused, personal touch that has been a core tenet since day one. By remembering to act small, be silly and connect with each other, we are maintaining a standard of excellence that keeps our community coming back for more.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We are so incredibly proud to be among the Best Running Stores in America. It validates all the hard work that our staff puts in each and every day.” 

Plans for 2025: “We aim to continue to grow sustainably by ensuring service, products and events meet our standards as we see increased traffic in both stores. We also hope to create more pathways into the running industry by reinvesting in our employees.” 

NAPERVILLE RUNNING COMPANY

Four locations in Naperville, IL: NRC North, NRC South, NRC Wheaton, NRC Annex

runningcompany.com

Key Personnel: Kris Hartner, Owner; Nick Hird, Director of Operations; Kyle Brady, Director of Retail; Marisa Hird, Director of Culture and Marketing; Dan O’Keefe, General Manager. 

History: The business was founded in 2000 in downtown Naperville. NRC South opened in 2014, followed by NRC Wheaton in 2017 and NRC Annex in 2019.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We hear customers thank us every day, saying, ‘You don’t get customer service like this anymore!’ The connections we make with our customers are so special, it is what keeps people coming back. Staff retention is also key: our employees have worked at NRC an average of six years. If we’re shouting from the rooftops just how important our customer service is, then we’re shouting just as loud at the fit bench from 10-40 hours per week.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Working retail isn’t easy and we hold our employees to an incredibly high standard. To be able to invest back into them and receive this recognition from our community, who we care so deeply about, is the best compliment we can receive.” 

Plans for 2025: “Our employees all make at least Naperville’s livable wage of $19.25 per hour. We will continue to match that as that number changes and also continue to provide staff perks like free products, a great in-store discount, a fully stocked kitchen, medical, disability, tuition, a long-term incentive ownership program and maternity/paternity leave.”

PACERS RUNNING 

Three locations in Washington, DC; two locations in VA 

runpacers.com

Key Personnel: Chris Farley and Kathy Dalby, Owners

History: Pacers Running was founded in 1991 in Alexandria, VA, and the business has since expanded to include three stores in Washington, DC, and two locations in Virginia. The mission remains to welcome more individuals and communities into the run and to celebrate the joy and transformative power of running.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Everyone in run specialty engages with the community well, but this is a primary focus for us. We have a full-time staff member to ensure we are living up to our promise of being good neighbors.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Pacers is always honored when we are included in the Best Running Stores. This industry has so many amazing teams and to be mentioned among those is an honor.” 

Plans for 2025: “Our word of the year is SOCUS (simple and focused). We’re doubling down on our commitment to being the best running store we can be, to provide an exceptional customer experience and engage our neighbors in our stores, at our races and our community events.” 

PALMETTO RUNNING COMPANY

Two South Carolina locations: Bluffton and Hilton Head Island

palmettorunningcompany.com

Key Personnel: Christian Fyfe, Keri Straughn and Rob Fyfe, Co-owners; Tammy Zito, GM

History: Founded in 2011, Palmetto Running Company is a family-owned business with two South Carolina locations.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We pride ourselves on leading with values and carrying responsibly sourced gear for a healthier you and a healthier planet.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This is an award that reflects the incredible team we have built and the hard work they put into our store and service they provide to all of our customers.” 

Plans for 2025: “We just finished up a relocation of our Bluffton store so we are excited to do more in that space.” 

PERFORMANCE RUNNING OUTFITTERS

Four Wisconsin locations: Brookfield, Delafield, Milwaukee, Shorewood

performancerunning.com

Key Personnel: Trae Hoepner and Jessica Hoepner, Owners

History: The first Performance Running store opened in 2006 in Brookfield, WI. Two years later the business expanded into Oconomowoc, followed by Shorewood and then Oak Creek. Five years ago, the owners acquired another running store that had four locations, some of which were near each other, so all of the stores were consolidated into the current four locations in and around the Milwaukee area. The business currently has 43 employees and looks forward to continuing its 18 consecutive years of growth.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We focus on community before sales and build a calendar to create opportunities to connect, grow and learn with each other.”

What the Award Means to Them: “We’re honored to receive this award and it means so much to our staff that works hard to provide the best service and experience to our customers and community. Our staff deserves to be recognized, as all know working specialty retail is not an easy career, but it is rewarding.”

Plans for 2025: More off-site events, staff growth and a mobile store.

PHILADELPHIA RUNNER 

Four locations in the Philadelphia metro area

Philadelphiarunner.com

Key Personnel: Ross Martinson, Owner. Executive Team: Liz Pagonis, Jenn Collins, Ryan Fennelly, Michael Zabrodski. Leadership Team: Jessica Frame, Tracy Davis, John Castellaneta, Daryl Santiago, Sarah Tampio, Lionel Brodie, Breandan Lyman, David Watt, Aaron Nixon, Michael Gagliardi 

History: Philadelphia Runner opened the doors to its first store in 2004 and has since expanded to four shops in and around the greater Philadelphia area.  

What Makes Your Store Unique: “The people! We joke that our community keeps us running, but it’s true. Our strong connection to the local community and our commitment to promoting an active, inclusive lifestyle is what makes our stores unique. We focus on creating a welcoming environment where runners, walkers, and fitness enthusiasts of all levels can find support and guidance. Our knowledgeable staff takes pride in offering personalized fittings and expert advice to ensure you get the right gear for your specific needs. We don’t just sell products — we build relationships. Through events like group runs, training programs and community gatherings, we strengthen connections and help motivate each other to reach our fitness goals.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We always tell our staff and community that nothing we do would be possible without them. This award is a reflection of our team’s hard work and the support from our community, especially throughout the last few years. We are honored and thankful to be recognized along with so many wonderful stores.” 

Plans for 2025: “Exploring new locations, celebrating our Manayunk store’s 10th anniversary and continuing to grow our existing locations and community overall.”

PLAYMAKERS

Okemos, MI

playmakers.com

Key Personnel: Brian Jones, Tom Keenoy, Lindsey Mulder, Jake Crowe, Andy Marsh, Carlie Beatty

History: Rooted in the Greater Lansing Community, runner and visionary Curt Munson purchased Playmakers in 1981. Over the next 20 years, Playmakers grew and flourished. In 2002, the store moved to its current location in Okemos, MI. Now celebrating 43 years in business, Playmakers still operates as a single-door retail store and has developed into an omni-channel retailer. The store is now lead by a combination of second- and third-generation ownership. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “As a single-door store with over 30,000-square feet, we are in a unique position. We have our entire staff (approximately 150) all working under one roof. We are cross-trained to work the sales floor, with our owners, buyers and mangers consistently working floor shifts. We believe this provides a unique opportunity that really cultivates our store culture. Our space also provides us the opportunity to have all our inventory in one spot. This has allowed our e-commerce opportunities to expand while benefiting our local in-store customer with a wider selection of options.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Being among the top running stores in the country is truly an honor. This award is a reflection of our supportive and loyal staff, customers, event participants and community. People have always been at the root of what we do and giving our customers an outstanding experience in-store and online is so important to us.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are very excited for a new program that we are launching with the Lansing School District. We have been working on a curriculum that will run this spring in all 17 elementary schools. The program will run for five weeks after school, three days a week, with an additional Saturday Track & Field clinic each week. Playmakers’ developed, Good Form Running, will be a key component to the training as well. We hope this program inspires middle school and high school kids to join cross-country and track.”

POINT 2 RUNNING COMPANY

Newport News and Chesapeake, VA

runpoint2.com

Key Personnel: Kevin Harrison and Glenn Moschler, Co-Owners; Andrea Lehmkuhler, Co-Owner and GM; Ruthie Cruz, Newport News Store Manager; Michelle Davis, Chesapeake Store Manager

History: Point 2 was founded in May 2011 in a modest shop that was formerly a Ritz camera store. This family-owned business (Glenn and Andrea are father and daughter) with deep roots in the community began to flourish and in the fall of 2015 moved to a new, larger location. As the team grew so did the business, and with that came the opportunity to serve a larger community. In the summer of 2019, Point 2 opened a second location in Chesapeake, Virginia. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our strong commitment to community sets us apart. Each year we partner with three non-profits to raise funds and increase awareness for their causes. Our efforts culminate with our Run Local seasonal apparel, where we donate a portion of the proceeds to an organization selected by our team. Giving back is central to our values and deeply integrated into our mission. Additionally, we continuously strive to improve, investing in technology, refreshing our stores and reinvesting in our team to better serve our community.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “We are incredibly honored to receive this award. It reflects the unwavering support we receive from our community every day and we’re proud to be recognized alongside so many other outstanding stores.”

Plans for 2025: “We’re focused on remaining adaptable to our customers’ needs, ensuring they feel fully supported in their running and walking journeys. We see exciting opportunities to offer more events, launch a training team and produce other ways to experience community together.” 

PRO BIKE + RUN

Six locations in the Pittsburgh, PA, area: Monroeville, Allison Park, Robinson Township, Pittsburgh, Grove City, and South Hills (bike only)

probikerun.com

Key Personnel: Craig Cozza, Owner, Founder and CEO; Jordan Cherry, GM. Run Managers: Susie Albert, Stewart Jones, Chris Cain, Josh Tanner, Nick Corlew

History: In 2008, Craig Cozza, a local real estate developer and entrepreneur, took the helm of the struggling Pittsburgh Pro Bikes to preserve its legacy of serving the regional cycling community. After acquiring Elite Runners and Walkers in 2016, following years of franchising since 2011, the business has been able to adopt a more comprehensive approach to outfitting and serving its community by incorporating running and walking elements. Each year, the company strives to organize and participate in mmore than 180 community-driven and charitable events. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our shops stand out because we provide a comprehensive experience for our customers. We strive to ensure that everyone who visits feels they’ve received exceptional service and recognizes us as their top choice for running and fitness essentials. Our knowledgeable staff has diverse experience in running, enabling them to assist everyone from newcomers to seasoned athletes. We feature advanced shoe fitting and gait analysis technology, including the Aetrex Albert Pro, along with an array of premium shoe options from leading brands. In our North Park location, we’ve created a cozy café and clubhouse area, perfect for runners to gather before and after runs. To deepen our engagement with customers, we host quarterly events that offer valuable insights, help individuals discover the right products and unite the running community. These include ladies’ nights, customer appreciation gatherings, group runs and Good Form Running workshops. Our location in the Strip District houses a restaurant and a spacious 390-person event venue and we’re excited to announce that our newest store is in Grove City, PA.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This award holds significant meaning for our staff as it reflects our commitment to the community. We aim to be a welcoming space for runners of all levels, offering services and products that distinguish us from online retailers and big-box stores. Everyone on our team understands the customer experience; many have been beginners themselves and have utilized similar services throughout their running journeys. Receiving this award is a true honor and it motivates us to keep working diligently to provide the highest level of service and experience for both our customers and the running community.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are excited to explore opportunities for growth by potentially expanding into new markets, allowing us to reach and support even more runners. Alongside this, we are committed to deepening our involvement in the community. We believe that by fostering connections and providing valuable resources, we can create a positive impact and enhance the running experience for everyone.” 

RC OUTFITTERS

Peoria, IL

rcoutfitters.com

Key Personnel: Adam White, Owner

History: The RC journey began in 1977 as Running Central and in 2007 Adam White purchased the business and began building upon the foundation that was laid by its founders. In the spring of 2019, Running Central became RC Outfitters, prompting the need for its evolution as a premium active lifestyle solution center with its roots and core as a specialty running store. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Since 1977, we have offered compelling and inspiring solutions for active lifestyles. We uncover customers’ needs and join them on their journey. Additionally, a key pillar of the RC Outfitters mission is to give all we can to charities who serve our community, many which have been working long before we got here and shaped this community before we took our first breaths. Along with our sister company, ShaZam Racing, RC is driven by a fervent desire to enhance the overall quality of life for the Greater Peoria community and beyond.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It’s more than just a recognition; it’s a reflection of the heart and soul we pour into serving our community. For our staff, it’s a validation of the countless hours spent understanding each customer’s needs, ensuring a perfect fit and recommending products that genuinely enhance their running and lifestyle experiences. It reinforces our belief in the importance of building genuine relationships, celebrating each customer’s wins and rallying behind our community at races, events and workshops. This award will continue to fuel our passion for growing not only as a business but as an integral part of the Greater Peoria community, with a commitment to stay innovative, community-focused, and true to our mission.” 

Plans for 2025: “What do we have planned for 2025? Well, if we told you, that would spoil the surprise!” 

RED COYOTE RUNNING & FITNESS

Three locations in Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Edmond and Norman

redcoyote.com

Key Personnel: Burke and Jon Beck, Co-founders; John Oseland, Director of Operations; Josh Lacan, Director of Training and Culture; Addie Ryan, Apparel PLM & Race Team Coordinator; Elizabeth Christensen, Footwear & Accessories PLM; Chris Hale, Training Program Coordinator; Jenny Broad, Inventory & E-commerce Manager; Katy Long, Director of Marketing. Store Managers: John Gignac, Brie Coffman, Juan Nuñez. Store Assistant Managers: Kat Villegas, Jack Madden, Mitch Hopf

History: Burke and Jon Beck opened Red Coyote Running & Fitness in Oklahoma City in March 2010. Every year in business, Red Coyote has been named a Best Running Store and was named Store of the Year in 2015. Burke and Jon’s expertise, knowledge and heart for their community have led to extensive growth not only of store locations, but also of people who run and walk with the Pack. In addition to its high-tech free video gait analysis, personalized fit process and array of technical apparel, gear, footwear, and more, Red Coyote produces eight races, hosts weekly social runs, leads training programs, offers the Red Coyote Race Team and creates special events throughout the year to further connect with the community and give back to thoughtfully chosen partner beneficiaries. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Red Coyote’s passion, expertise and commitment to being inclusive to all makes us unique. We strive to be welcoming to any pace, supportive of every goal, and motivating to everyone who walks into our stores. Red Coyote is committed to bettering the community and supporting partner beneficiaries who are making a difference, helping make sure students have the proper footwear to run comfortably and injury-free and finding fresh ways to inspire people to accomplish their fitness goals.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Being recognized as a 2024 Best Running Store means everything to our team. Every person at Red Coyote works hard each day to invite people to be part of our Pack, get moving and find the best gear for their unique bodies and needs. To be recognized for these efforts and our passion for running and the running community is an honor and privilege and something our entire team is grateful for.” 

Plans for 2025: “We have a big year ahead. Our new Norman location will be open and we’re excited to connect with a new community; we will celebrate our 15th anniversary of being in business; we will continue to develop our team as leaders and innovators in the run specialty space; we will continue to focus on our sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts; and we will continue working to reach new runners, walkers, customers and community partners.” 

RUNABOUT SPORTS

Two Virginia locations: Blacksburg and Roanoke

runaboutsports.com; runaboutroanoke.com

Key Personnel: James DeMarco, Ally Bowersock and Tyler Bowersock, Founders/Owners.

History: The Blacksburg location was founded in 2003 by James DeMarco and the Roanoke location was founded by Ally and Tyler Bowersock. Demarco is and was a fixture in the southwest Virginia running community, so his choice to open a run specialty shop was a natural fit. The Bowersocks partnered with DeMarco when Tyler opened a physical therapy practice and wanted to complement their expertise in sports medicine and exercise science, meeting a need in the Roanoke community that they felt had been unmet. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our stores are more of a community rather than a store. Our staff is truly a family and our customers often come to just hang out because they are friends with our staff and each other. We have a very laid-back atmosphere and our customers appreciate the ability to come and browse and that we are invested in them as people, not just as customers. The RunAbout Blacksburg location has created a sense of connection with its popular race series, the hallmark of which is the Hokie Half and 5K. At the Roanoke location, we also have a variety of shop dogs who our customers adore. Both stores invest both human and financial resources in giving back to local non-profit organizations as well as supporting youth programming and community outreach initiatives. We also engage with other small businesses through gift card swaps, pop-up shops with local artisans, and are active members of our regional chambers of commerce. Lastly, our team represents the diversity in running and walking in the community we serve.”

What the Award Means to Them: “To receive this award for the first time is a testament to our community-focused initiatives, both in working closely with non-profit organizations to support their efforts as well as connecting with other small, for-profit businesses in the wake of the pandemic, understanding that a rising tide lifts all ships. We are so honored to be among incredible businesses who all seem to share our values and have enjoyed connecting with many of them in-person at the awards show and now online following their businesses in their parallel journey with ours.” 

Plans for 2025: “We plan to continue areas of strength from 2024, but focusing our efforts in key goals for community outreach efforts, including the development and implementation of a summer running and reading program like the ‘Book It’ program we all grew up with but adding a fitness component. While the Blacksburg location will look to grow its community connections in the New River Valley with a new team with incredible expertise, the Roanoke location plans to launch several new races to fill gaps left by events no longer continued, as well as support a year-long virtual fitness consistency challenge in addition to in-person training groups which are a mainstay of the RunAbout Roanoke location.” 

RUN HUB NORTHWEST

Eugene, OR

runhubnw.com

Key Personnel: Dustin and Kris Pearce, Owners; Lillie Schrock-Clevenger, Store Manager; Lauren Moe, Marketing Manager; Jack Matherly, Footwear Line Manager; Alize Hartke, Apparel Line Manager

History: Run Hub Northwest opened in downtown Eugene on Eugene Marathon weekend in 2015 and operates one store.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our store is located in Eugene, the self-proclaimed ‘Tracktown U.S.A,’ which comes with tons of running history. Eugene regularly hosts the Olympic Track & Field Trials, NCAA Championships and the World Championships in 2022, as well as other major track and field events. Outside living in such a unique running mecca, Run Hub focuses on providing a top-notch customer experience and strong community engagement.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Unless you’ve worked in a bunch of different running stores, you never really know how you compare, or if you’re on the right track as a run specialty business. For our staff, the Best Running Store award gives us something to strive for each year. It also serves as a sort of report card through the customer nominations we receive and the secret shopper that visits. We value the process and the feedback as a way for us to keep improving.” 

Plans for 2025: “We anticipate more than doubling the size of our store in the second half of 2025. With that we will be busy planning out the new space and new lines of products to fill it.” 

RUN MOORE

Westminster, MD

letsrunmoore.com

Key Personnel: Steve Moore, Owner; Molly Moore, Special Events Coordinator; Stephen Peters, Store Manager; Ryan Samuelson, Community Engagement Director; Jerry Thomas, Jack of All Trades/Sales Associate; and Colleen Kernan, Team Member for Life/Sales Associate

History: Founded in 2014, Run Moore is a family-owned running specialty store in Westminster, MD. The idea for Run Moore sparked after the birth Steve Moore’s son, when the need for convenient access to quality running shoes became clear. Recognizing a gap in the community, Moore envisioned a specialty shop that would empower everyone to experience the joy of running. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We take a unique community-centric approach at Run Moore. We believe that running is magical and has the power to transform lives. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where everyone feels comfortable starting or continuing their running journey. We go beyond just selling shoes — we offer personalized fitting, educational workshops and training groups, fostering a supportive environment for runners of all levels.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Letting the staff know we won this award was a highlight of my year. They all work incredibly hard to create a warm and welcoming environment for our customers. Seeing their excitement was a true testament to their dedication and our shared passion for running.”

Plans for 2025: “We’re excited to embark on a store remodel and expand our product selection with some exciting new lines. We’re also passionate about supporting the local running community, so we’ll be growing our ambassador program and launching a digital magazine that celebrates our local running scene, featuring inspirational stories, event coverage and training tips.” 

RUNNER’S EDGE NY

Two locations in New York: Farmingdale and Huntington

runnersedgeny.com

Key Personnel: Bob Cook and Sue Cook, Owners; Allison Cook Galante, Apparel/Accessories Buyer and Social Media Marketing Manager; Paul Curtis, Store Manager of Farmingdale/Shoe Buyer; Griselle Delgado, Store Manager of Huntington/Shoe Buyer; Kaitlin Dello Iacano, Events Marketing Coordinator. Staff Members: Gary Paperno, Nancy Cattabiani, Dave Frazer, Craig Gluf

History: Runner’s Edge NY opened its doors in 1985 in the heart of Farmingdale Village, NY. After outgrowing its orignal location, the store moved twice more within Farmingdale. In April 2021, a second location was opened in Huntington. When owner Bob Cook started the company, he was doing anything he could to grow the business, including working by himself in the store for four months and selling shoes out of his truck at races. Since then, the staff has worked diligently by advertising at events, handing out flyers and introducing themselves and their services at races, track meets, gyms, and more—an effort that continues to this day. The retailer also found ways to adapt over the years by creating its own website to sell shoes, adding technology to the fit process and staying up-to-date with the most current trends in the running industry.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We just celebrated our 39th year in business and opened a new location three years ago. Our store is independently owned and our owner still comes in five days a week. His family, including his wife and one daughter, are also very actively involved. We have a very special family feel to our store and we hope that we can keep that feeling for years to come. This also includes other staff members, who are family members working for us, and some of our staff are local running coaches. We work with several local running clubs, race directors, coaches, doctors, gyms and running teams and we try to give back in any way we can. We donate to several races and charities with prizes and giveaways along with shoes, and we love to work with our local community. We host runs from our store each week in hopes of bringing people together and we usually tie in a local business to support. We go to local high school running meets and set up a mini-shop on the go. We also have our own running/triathlon team that consists of 150-plus members. We also would like to share that we have been voted 10 times out of 13 as best sneaker store on Long Island, NY, in the Best of LI Program.”

What the Award Means to Them: “We are super excited to be receiving this because we have strived to be the best we can for 39 years. Winning this award feels like we have been training for our own race and are finally receiving our own medal at a very special finish line.” 

Plans for 2025: “Our plans include finding more unique ways to gain new customers. We partner with several local businesses and our goal is to continue networking. A huge part of our business has become the networking we do with local podiatrists and they have been sending tons of new patients to us to help them find the right shoe. We also set up a new email system this year and we are working on finding ways to make unique and creative captivating emails.”

Runners Roost Lakewood

Lakewood, CO

runnersroostlakewood.com

Key Personnel: Sonya Estes-Alderman, President and Founder; Chris Alderman, Vice President; Joel Hamilton, General Manager; Isaac Wagner, Manager

History: Runners Roost Lakewood Colorado was founded in 2003 by mother-daughter team Sonya Estes and Wanda Stevens. We have one store that has expanded to almost 5000-square feet over the last 20 years. Runners Roost Lakewood was founded out of a love for fitness and running. Committed to the community we serve and making Lakewood, Jefferson County and Colorado a healthy place to live and create amazing adventures.  

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our mission was to create an environment that allows everyone access to walking, running and hiking. We pride ourselves on early adaption to new brands, strong partner relationships and the highest quality service and customer experience in our area. Our team is dedicated to offering a comfortable space where customers can ask questions, learn about events, the newest technology and receive a proper fit. We have been lucky to have an amazing staff and managers that share the same vision.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “Our team is so thrilled to receive this award and it solidifies why we work so hard every day to make sure our customers are happy.”

Plans for 2025: “Our goal next year is to expand our relationships with our vendors, bring new and exciting events to our community and expand our outreach to new runners/walkers.”

Running Etc.

Norfolk, VA; Virginia Beach, VA

runningetc.com

Key Personnel: Pam and Mike Robinson, Owners; John Lomogda Norfolk Manager; Mark Manny, Beach Manager; Shannon Ralston, Apparel and Merchandising Manager; Andrew Hoffer, Product Manager; Emily Spencer, Website and Product Manager; Carol Dalton, Nutrition Manager

History: Running Etc. in Norfolk was founded in 1986 by Mike Robinson. In 1996, Running Etc. Norfolk moved to its current 4000-square-foot location. A second store located in Virginia Beach opened in 2004 and six years later moved to a bigger 5000-square-foot space. This location includes a 600-square-foot community room where lectures, clinics, race packet pick-ups and running-oriented events are held.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We are set apart by our combined years of experience in the sport, our knowledge, product, selection and service, but the identity and soul of our store is rooted in our community. The relationships we’ve built with our customers, coaches, race organizers, physicians and brand partners truly set us apart. Since 1986 we have grown with the industry, but also within our community. We can attribute our continued growth in our 38 years of business to the passion from our team and their involvement in the community. The demands of retail have evolved over the years, but our responsibility to providing our customers with a personal and memorable level of service and expertise has remained the same. Our goal as a running store is to greet every person that crosses our path with love, care and compassion.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “This recognition affirms that we are operating our business in a way that resonates with our community and our industry. For 38 years, we’ve helped individuals pursue and achieve their goals, whether it is in athletics or life. We are thrilled to receive this award for our team because they give 100 percent to everyone they meet and this is a wonderful way to show them their dedication and caring ways are being recognized. It is the community that surrounds us that has given us this recognition with their votes and this award renews that sense of our connection to our community and our commitment to serve as we have all these years.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are currently completing renovations at our Beach shop, so for 2025 we plan to grow our already robust community partnerships. We’ll also continue to work with our local race directors who give back in numerous ways to those in need. In 2025 our ambassador program will begin as an all-inclusive program that will allow anyone to join our team, eliminating a selection process. From an environmental standpoint we plan to expand our shoe collection program, which has ensured that hundreds of pairs of shoes a year get repurposed and/or recycled to lessen our carbon footprint. Lastly, we want to expand our contribution to the growth of walking/running by hosting even more free lectures and injury assessment clinics.”

Running Lab

Brighton, MI 

runninglabstore.com

Key Personnel: Ken Larscheid, Founder and Owner; Toni Reese, Owner; Jen Crutchfield and Joe Wright, Shipping Managers; Keith McCaffrey, Floor Manager; Blake Strand, Buyer; Meghan Zoll, Marketing Manager

History: Running Lab was founded in July 2011 in downtown Brighton by Ken Larscheid. His vision was to service an active community with access to local parks and running paths. Over the past 13 years, Running Lab has become a destination for customers looking for high-quality customer service provided by the most compassionate experts in the industry.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “What makes Running Lab truly unique is that the store is a place for our people — our customers, staff and vendors. Running Lab values our people so much that they are our greatest commodity and we will do anything to strengthen these relationships every opportunity we get. If you take care of your people, they will take care of your business.” 

What the Award Means to Them: “It acknowledges the hard work, dedication and expertise of the team in providing outstanding customer service and products to the running community.”

Plans for 2025: “First and foremost, we have some celebrating to do with our people that have helped us receive this award. We take receiving the Best Running Store award as a high honor and a great source of pride. Additionally we will continue to invest and strengthen our current programs and processes to better serve our community.”

Running Zone

Melbourne FL 

runningzone.com

Key Personnel: Pete Vaughn and John Carr, Co-Owners 

History: Running Zone opened in May, 2003 with Don and Denise Piercy as the founders. The store has been in three different storefront locations in the same shopping center. Pete has been a part of Running Zone since 2009 and John since 2018. Don and Denise retired in April, 2022 and sold the business to Pete and John in addition to their race management business, Running Zone Race Management.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our store is unique in a few ways, most notably that we have a wide range of ages reflected in our customer base and staff.”

What the Award Means to Them: “This award is the result of our team’s combined hard work and commitment to providing the best service possible. No matter what products our customers walk out with, customer service is what we sell. We’re all proud of the achievement and collectively appreciate the recognition.”

Plans for 2025: “2024 was our year of adding personnel, 2025 is the year we’re looking to accomplish a significant physical refresh of our store. We’re working on plans now and hope to have the work completed in early summer.”

RunWell

Edwardsville, IL 

runedwardsville.com

Key Personnel: Sandy Holmes, Supervisor of Buying and Merchandising; Don Yakstis (Yak), Supervisor of Staff Development; the amazing employees who give their best to customers every day and add something special to the team.

History: Owner Jen Schaller opened RunWell in 2013 on Global Running Day with the concept of a team of highly trained staff ready to grow the community by helping everyone find the proper footwear to achieve comfort and success in their chosen endeavors.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “There are many things that make our store unique, from our Community Brag Board where we celebrate everyone’s upcoming annual goals, to our loyalty program that earns runners and walkers a custom patch for joining us on our weekly group runs/walks, as well as in-store rewards.”

What the Award Means to Them: “This award is so meaningful to our team to know that we have been recognized for all we do. To be nominated by our community and then selected by our industry as one of the best stores (among so many great stores) makes us so proud. It’s such an honor.” 

Plans for 2025: “We are currently undergoing a much-needed renovation, updating our fixtures and giving our store a fresh new look. We will continue all of our great community events, but plan to add a few more, including Love Your Community, and a fresh twist on our Tortured Soles Trail Run. Additionally, our mobile phone app is being updated with new features to help serve our customers in many different ways. We have a lot to look forward to for 2025.”

Salt Lake Running Company

Two locations in Salt Lake City, UT; Sandy, UT; Centerville, UT

slrc.com

Key Personnel: Guy and Debbie Perry, Owners

History: Salt Lake Running began in 1995 and has grown into the premier locally-owned run specialty store in the Salt Lake Valley with four locations. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We strive to provide a great customer experience and connect with and support our active community in many ways. While there are many run specialty stores in the country that do this, it does seem to be harder to come by in retail generally. As with others in the run industry, it is fulfilling to know that we can relate to, educate, interact with and assist the people that come to us and serve them in ways that is hard to find anywhere else.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It is a nice way to acknowledge and validate all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes all year long by everyone on staff. The award helps to elevate the mindset of our staff by helping us to set high, but healthy expectations of the quality of service that we provide. It also helps us set goals and continue to follow processes and trainings so that we are able to maintain a consistent user and community experience from year to year.”

Plans for 2025: “We are looking forward to our 30th anniversary.”

Sole Sports Running Zone

Tempe, AZ; Scottsdale, AZ; two locations in Phoenix, AZ

solesportsrunning.com; therunnersden.com

Key Personnel: Lance Muzslay and Karen McDonnell, Owners; Sean McManus, General Manager; Brandon Marx and April Donihi, Buying Team; Ron French, Emmet Acebedo, Jeremy Zarins, Angela Mekelburg, Holly Amend, Matt Tonkin, Leadership Team

History: Sole Sports was founded in 2007 by Lance Muzslay and Karen McDonnell, with two stores in Tempe and Scottsdale. Eventually they purchased additional locations in Arcadia (iRun), and Phoenix (Runner’s Den) and opened a new location in Gilbert in 2024.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “What makes our store unique is the variety of customers we serve with each location. While all stores are within a 20-mile radius, each store has its own character, energy and uniqueness that really make it a part of its smaller community within the Phoenix Metro area. Locations such as Tempe and Phoenix really speak to the heritage of the running culture in Phoenix and attract a mature, family-based customer. Scottsdale speaks to a fashion-forward yet performance-driven customer and both Arcadia and Gilbert speak to younger, health-conscious, but new-to-running consumer that is looking for the latest and greatest products. While this provides its own unique challenges in assortment planning and marketing, it challenges us to think outside the box and truly connect with our customer to learn how we can serve them best in our communities.”

What the Award Means to Them: “This award validates the hard work that the team puts into serving our community every day. While 90 percent of our staff has no idea this award exists, it is a testament to all the hours of training, development and service to our customer. We take pride in being connected with our communities and knowing we are recognized with this award means a lot to our leadership team.”

Plans for 2025: “2025 is the year of ‘Getting Back to Basics’ and ‘Equipping our Team for Success.’ 2024 was a challenging year for us as we took on our fourth and fifth stores, one via acquisition and one as a new build. It challenged and pressed the team more than we would have liked, but we came out the other side stronger and more connected than ever. In 2025, we plan to focus on what got us here, what makes us one of the Best Running Stores in America and making sure we sharpen our tools to best serve the customer for years to come. You’ll see us lean into events, outreach, and fine tuning our fit process to separate ourselves from the big-box and chain-store experience.”

Terra Running Company 

Cleveland, TN

terrarunning.com

Key Personnel: Brittany Katz, Owner; Tiffany Skinner, Marketing and Engagement Manager; and incredible part-time employees, Braxton Brazell, Dara McGuire, and Jacob Chapman. We also have a race timing arm to our business and Ty Bodekker is our timer. 

History: Terra Running Company originally opened in 2015 as Terra Outfitters in Blue Ridge, GA. Though Blue Ridge is a beautiful town, the majority of business comes from tourists visiting the mountains — not particularly ideal for growing a running community or fitting people for quality footwear on a regular basis. After scouting for a more sustainable location, Terra Running Company opened in Cleveland in 2016. After about a year, Terra Outfitters closed in Blue Ridge and Terra Running Co.’s transition to Cleveland was complete. In 2018, after buying and renovating the historic Fillauer Building, Terra moved downtown. The coffee shop – which was originally named Bear Brew Coffee – also opened at this time. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “There are obvious answers like the fact that we are located in a historic building, that we are a woman-owned business, that we are also a race timing company, or that we have a coffee shop connected to our store. I do think all of those things make our store unique, but I think that the true answer is our community buy-in and support. We are invested in our community and our community is invested in us. We wouldn’t be able to do half of the events that we do without our community pitching in to help us and, in turn, that offers a sense of ownership and belonging that is vital for wellbeing. I think Terra does a great job fostering community in a way that is a powerful force for health — physical and emotional. Whether it is sitting and chatting with someone while they are fit for shoes, hosting our weekly group run “The Terra Trot,” offering our “Terra Girls Podcast” where we people can get to know other runners like them, or putting on races and events for the community, Terra Running Co. is so much more than just a store in our community.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Even though we have won this award on four different occasions (now three years in a row!), every time we are incredibly excited, honored and proud to bring this designation back to our community. We know that countless run specialty stores across the country are doing amazing work, so we don’t take it for granted to be included on this list. We are thankful to The Running Event for taking the time and effort to honor the hard work of so many people through the Best Running Stores program.”

Plans for 2025: “We always have an endless list of ideas that we would like to implement. We will be adding a 10K option for runners of our annual Cleveland Half Marathon and 5K that takes place each October. We will continue to offer a free run camp for kids in the summer, recording our podcast featuring everyday runners and offering more women’s safety classes with local law enforcement. We would also love to host a women’s trail running retreat with one of our brands and we are looking forward to getting more involved with Hylo Athletics and their Local Champions fund.”

The Runner’s Edge 

Missoula, MT

runnersedgemt.com

Key Personnel: Erin Forda, Store Manager and Apparel Buyer; Sarah Raz, Accessory Buyer, Medical Outreach; Chris Kosena, Community Outreach; Meg Brooker, Operations, Footwear

History: At age 20, Anders Brooker founded the Runner’s Edge with the help of his parents, Tim and Carol Brooker. The Runner’s Edge is a one-door store, in the middle of a current expansion. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We believe in building strong relationships with our employees, customers and reps. Our employees feel like family, our customers become friends and we have great relationships with our reps.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It not only validates what we do, but also validates our place among so many other amazing run-specialty retailers.”

Plans for 2025: “We’re in the middle of a store expansion and are excited to see the final result. This expansion includes more square footage for our sales floor along with more storage for our backroom, an area for packet pick-up on the sales floor, a dedicated place for rep meetings, a new receiving area and a small lounge area for employees.”

The Running Well Store 

Mission, KS; Kansas City, MO; Lee’s Summit, MO

therunningwellstore.com

Key Personnel: Kathy Gates, Owner; Meredyth Melcher, Operations; William Henry, Buyer; Joseph Coddington, Inventory Manager; Mary Nacrelli, Manager–Barry Road; Angela Reed, Manager–Lee’s Summit; Jacob Aiken, Manager–Mission; Carl Specking, Manager–Martin City; Joey Holley, Community Outreach Manager

History: The Running Well Store was originally founded in 2006 as Sports Medicine, Metro Walk And Run by a different owner. In 2011 Kathy Gates met the owner and discussed transitioning the business over to her when she became manager and eventually she purchased the store in 2013 and changed its name to The Running Well Store. Since opening in 2013, Gates purchased three additional locations and opened an e-commerce store, but has prided herself on staying true to the proper fit for her clients and investing in the local community. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Our mission to be ‘The Place For Every Pace’ is more than just a slogan — it’s a commitment brought to life by our incredible dream team. This group of dedicated individuals goes above and beyond, not only helping our customers – whether they’re runners, nurses or factory workers – but also taking my ideas and turning them into reality. Their passion and hard work are what make The Running Well Store truly special. Without them, we’d be just another store.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Growing a business while maintaining exceptional customer service is no easy feat. The constant challenge with scaling is the risk of compromising quality and, for us, outstanding service is at the core of who we are. This award is a testament to my incredible team who work tirelessly to deliver top-notch customer care day in and day out, even as we grow. I couldn’t be more proud of their dedication and the amazing work they do every single day.”

Plans for 2025: “The team has been ‘running’ since 2013 and we have no plans to slow down. 2025 is a year of organization, prioritization and preparation for future growth to come!”

Tortoise and Hare Sports

Glendale, AZ

tortoiseandharesports.com

Key Personnel: Rebecca and Nathan Hohenstein, Co-owners; Josie Vasques, Floor Manager; Liz Coleman, Footwear Buyer 

History: Tortoise and Hare Sports opened in 2012 and was the first locally-owned running store in the West Valley. Named a perennial Best Running Store in America, its focus is on providing a world-class education to each customer about properly fitted gear — shoes, apparel, hydration packs and sports bras.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Reps and brand sales managers say our level of service and fit process is unlike anything they’ve seen elsewhere in their territory or across the country. That is probably true. Additionally, we emphasize our community as one of the key ingredients that make us different from most running shops. Our community blesses us with their support and appreciation. They can feel it in return.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Recognition from our industry is always flattering. For us, being named a Best Running Store serves as motivation to continually earn our reputation customer by customer, fit by fit.” 

Plans for 2025: “2025 will be our 13th year in business and we have some fun plans for lucky 13.”

Track Shack of Orlando 

Orlando, FL

trackshack.com

Key Personnel: Betsy and Jon Hughes, Owners; Chris Hughes, General Manager; Nathan Adams, Buyer; Matt Scarano, Personnel Manager; Bruce Egeland, Floor Manager; Andres Fernandez, Tech Manager; Kerrie Gregory,Community Outreach Coordinator and Program Director, Orlando Galloway Training

History: Track Shack of Orlando’s history began in 1977 when three runners and area businessmen decided that Central Florida needed a running store. Owner Jon Hughes was attending college nearby and Betsy was running high school cross-country/track and the opening of a real runners’ store was the talk at practice and even around the dinner table at home. Just three months later, Jon took over as manager and six months after that bought out one of the partner’s shares and literally began “running” the show. In 1983 Jon and Betsy were married and become the sole owners and got busy producing road races and promoting the store. Jon and Betsy’s son, Chris, a partner and GM, oversees a staff of 25, including coaches of MarathonFest and other training programs and run clubs. Its sister company, Track Shack Events, produced the 2024 Olympic Trials Marathon, manages and produces the Track Shack Running Series and area events, including the runDisney weekends. The Track Shack Youth Foundation, celebrating 30 years this year, is the beneficiary of Track Shack’s own races/events.

What Makes Your Store Unique:  “Celebrating 47 years of ‘Keeping Central Florida Fit’ is something we are very proud of. Betsy and Jon are very involved day to day with both the store and the events. Like most specialty stores our staff is very diverse and welcoming to all. This year we added a non-binary category in our events, we have a racing team and an amazing group of community ambassadors. Our history of success since 1977 is something we don’t take lightly. Each day is a new day and one we embrace.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Being selected means the world to us. It is a validation of all our hard work and an exciting opportunity to share this honor with our industry friends and peers.”

Plans for 2025: “We plan to continue positively impacting our community in every way possible. Beyond the attention and care we give to everyone who walks in our door, we will continue supporting those in need of shoes in our community through our shoe donation program and supporting youth athletics and other youth outreach programs through our Track Shack Youth Foundation. In 2025 we also plan to expand our reach through off-site sales such as conferences and trade shows and to expand our presence at race expos. We have already added new vendors to our footprint at multiple runDisney expos in the 2025 calendar year and will be adding an off-site expo to our OUC Orlando Half Marathon. December of 2024 will be our first time with an off-site expo for this event, which Track Shack will man the retail portion of and in 2025 we plan to go even bigger both with the expo and the event itself which we hope to make a premier destination half marathon both for elites and all other participants. Our goal is for our hometown half to become a national brand at the half marathon distance!”

Waco Running Company 

Waco, TX

wacorunningcompany.com

Key Personnel: Ross Harris, Owner; Todd Millerd, Store Director

History: Waco Running Company is the first specialty running store in Waco. It started as a second location for On The Run out of Houston in April, 2011 before it was sold to a local Waco company and re-located inside Outdoor Waco in January, 2013 until it was sold again to locally owned multi store Bicycle World Texas in October, 2013. Finally, it moved into its current location under the Waco Running Company name in October, 2017.

What Makes Your Store Unique: “We are the only specialty run store in Central Texas. People prefer to drive to Waco, from up to an hour away, to shop in our locally owned and operated store versus going to a chain store in Dallas or Austin.”

What the Award Means to Them: “Our staff works very hard to make sure that all of our customers get the proper fitting shoe for their needs. We usually are happy to have our customers recognize our level of service by referring their friends and relatives to us for their running and walking shoes. To achieve recognition such as this for our small store is obviously a great honor.” 

Plans for 2025: “Plans include more involvement with community and business leaders who support healthy initiatives, in addition to our usual support for local running clubs and events.”

Whirlaway Sports Center 

Methuen, MA

whirlawaysports.com

Key Personnel: Dave Kazanjian, Owner; Maggi Murray, Adriana Birleanu, Ryan Kowal, Management Team

History: Whirlaway Sports opened on June 1, 1983 and just celebrated its 41st anniversary. Whirlaway Sports still has the same mission as when it started: To enhance people’s lifestyle by helping them achieve their athletic and wellness goals. The team supports student/athletes from youth programs through college and beyond into the fitness and road-racing scene. 

What Makes Your Store Unique: “Whirlaway Sports Center is located on 16 acres of land that also includes Whirlaway Golf Driving Range, which has been in the family for 94 years. In fact, the driving range is the oldest family-owned one in the country. Uniquely, many of our events interweave the store and driving range for team-building events. In the past few years, Whirlaway Sports has become a pioneer for the pickleball category, growing to one of the premier destinations in the Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire areas.”

What the Award Means to Them: “It is truly amazing to receive this award, which I never take for granted. I am so proud of my entire staff for how hard they work every day. There is no greater satisfaction to me than to get compliments from my customers on my staff. It makes me feel very proud of the family-like atmosphere we cultivate. We are a team, we are friends and we are a family.”

Plans for 2025: “We plan to continue to enhance our pickleball department. We are very fortunate to have a loyal and large following of pickleball clients. Through a lot of hard work and dedication, Whirlaway Sports has become the local go-to store for pickleball players’ every need. We also plan to resume the number and frequency of our events to a pace comparable to the years prior to the pandemic. Although we have many athletic categories in the store, we realize that the running community is essential to our success, so many of our events will be catered towards runners.”