We have a great local running store, The Runner’s Corner in Orem, Utah. It sponsors a running club, The Sojourners, which is a huge club. The store does group runs, races, etc. Gives discounts to Sojourner members. Hires BYU cross-country and track runners, both men and women. (The BYU cross crountry program is one of the best in the nation, so the sales force is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and experienced.) The store does most of the things suggested by the previous post. I especially like that the store puts shoes on your feet and says “Go outside, run on the sidewalk, and try out the shoes.” They also have a liberal return policy. The key to their success is that they are repeat customer oriented and cater to the serious runner.
The store, BTW, does not stock Nike shoes. Evidently, Nike requires that a certain percent of all the sales come from their brand, and The Runners’ Corner just won’t cow down to Nike’s demands. Nobody misses Nike. We buy Asics, Saucony, Mizuno, etc. The store also stalks everything else you can think of relating to running.
We also have a great new triathlon store, SBR (Swim Bike Run) Sports, here in Orem. It’s fairly new, but it sponsors open water swim clinics, local triathlons, swimming lessons, etc. It carries a wide range of tri bikes, wet suits, tri jerseys and shorts, etc. Most importantly, every time I go in there, I know that I’m going to get great advise.
But if you quit your job and open the store, be prepared to work like a dog. Give your store time to turn a profit. You might not be able to give yourself a paycheck for several months!
Best wishes.
