Twenty years ago this month – May 24, 2004, to be exact – Big Peach Running Co. opened its first location in Brookhaven, GA. Fast forward two decades and there are now 10 locations throughout the Metro Atlanta area, a store in Melbourne, FL, that opened earlier this year, and a one-of-a-kind mobile store, Big Peach On Wheels, offering a fully stocked mobile shoe fitting and specialty retail experience.

“In 2004, the Atlanta running and walking community was underserved.  As an enthusiastic runner with a passion for customer service, I left a corporate environment and opened the first location,” explains founder Mike Cosentino. “As a part of the local running and fitness community, it has long been the mission of Big Peach Running Co. to encourage individuals to lead an active and healthier lifestyle through running and walking. 

The chain’s dedication to customer service has spurred growth, even as some national sports retailers have failed, Cosentino points out. “We have always referred to our customers as Guests and our team members as Guest Advocates. The same way we appreciate being treated as a guest in someone’s home is how someone should rightly expect to be treated in our stores.”

Recently, Big Peach has started to franchise its brand through its Peach Partner Program.  “This extension has allowed us to sensibly and strategically grow our business with entrepreneurs in communities where we can serve and add value through experiential retail and the benefits of movement and being active,” says Mike Cosentino.

Big Peach Running Co. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in its Georgia-based stores with a diverse range of events that kick off the morning of May 18. Each location hosted a group run/walk that included raffles, giveaways, food and drinks.

Participating vendor partners included Altra Running, ASICS, Brooks, Feetures, Hoka, Nathan Sports, New Balance, Mizuno, On Running, Puma, Tailwind Endurance Fuel and Wahoo Fitness. 

The celebration is not being limited to one day, however, as there will also be a unique Gift With Purchase during the Memorial Day holiday weekend (May 24-27). 

“Twenty years is a reason to celebrate with those who have supported us over those years. And as we made plans to do so with guests, friends and partners, we realized there was no reason to only do so for just one day or one month,” says director of marketing Dave Martinez, who adds that the celebration will be for the remainder of the year. In addition to all that Big peach has planned for May, it also has several other events planned, including three for Global Running Day (June 5) and an Olympic viewing party at a local brewery in August.

KICKR RUN Unveiled at East Cobb Store

In another interesting development at Big Peach Running Co., its East Cobb location was be the first retailer in the world to offer the public a chance to experience the KICKR RUN treadmill from Atlanta-based Wahoo Fitness. The launch event took place on May 18 in conjunction with the 20th anniversary celebration.

The KICKR RUN is described as "the treadmill experience you've always wanted," transforming indoor running by blending the freedom of outdoor running with the convenience of home workouts and competitive online training. Key features include:

• RunFree Mode: Harnessing advanced position sensing technology, the treadmill dynamically adjusts the belt speed to match a stride in near real-time.
• Automatic Grade Control: Experience up to a 15 percent incline and a three percent decline, automatically adjusting when connected to compatible apps.
• Target Pace Control: Train at the exact pace a workout prescribes with the quick touch of the speed control paddle, to acknowledge the change in pace.

• Elite Speed Capabilities: Achieve a personal best with a maximum pace of a 4 minute-mile pace, enabling even the fastest runners to train at competitive paces.
• Smart Connectivity: Integrates seamlessly with the Wahoo App and Zwift Run plus Final Surge, Kinomap, Humango and Training Peaks with many more to follow for a dynamic and interactive training session, with full connectivity including WiFi, Bluetooth and DirectConnect.

“I am delighted to see KICKR RUN finally come to market,” says Chip Hawkins, founder of Wahoo Fitness. “I've been a runner for many years and have used a treadmill as a tool when required, but I never really enjoyed it or achieved the training gains I required. So I have been working behind the scenes with a very talented group of Wahooligans developing KICKR RUN for over seven years to transform indoor running.

“As passionate runners we wanted to create the most realistic experience and create a tool that helps our customers improve, become better athletes and achieve their goals,” he adds.