Tucked right against the White Mountains, North Conway, NH, serves as an ideal launching pad for trail running in New England. With the Appalachian Trail cutting through town and miles of technical terrain nearby, it attracts a growing crowd of local ultra-runners and visiting mountain athletes.
However, as Marathon Sports president Ben Cooke notes, the local trail running scene was historically small, organic and under-supported. While Marathon Sports is a 51-year-old company primarily known for road running, the brand is now jumping into trail running with both feet. To help transform North Conway into a major trail destination, the retailer selected the town for its first dedicated trail-concept store as part of a broader push to grow the sport.
In addition to opening a brick-and-mortar store, the company has funded more than $100,000 in race prize purses, acquired and expanded regional events, launched a women’s trail team, founded a trail-running camp and organized trailhead shuttle trips for Boston runners.
“My dream is to invite more people into trail running and build them into trail runners,” says Cooke. “When you walk in, we want it to immediately signal that this isn’t just a shop with a trail section tucked in the corner — it’s a store built specifically for the trail runner.”
To execute the concept, Marathon Sports partnered with 3Dots Design to convert a former airplane hangar into 2400-square feet of inviting retail space for local regulars and runners passing through town.
Below are seven key design features that bring that community concept to life on the retail floor.
Bringing the Outdoors In
Reflecting the surrounding environment was a core goal of the store design, signaling a clear focus on trail running while inspiring people to explore local terrain.
“New Hampshire is the ‘Granite State,’ so we incorporated a granite theme,” says Tom Hooper, director of trail running and race sponsorship partnerships for Marathon Sports. To recreate that landscape, Eldorado Climbing created custom rock structures. While footwear sits on hand-painted rock walls, a custom rock ramp provides a realistic surface to test shoe grip and fit.
And because many local trails lie above the tree line, wayfinding relies on rock piles rather than tree signs, inspiring the team to incorporate hand-sculpted faux granite cairns as rolling shoe displays.
Interactive Features
While the interior design connects with runners on an emotional level, the store also serves as a practical resource for anyone gearing up to hit the trails. A major focal point is an expansive wall map created with Simple Cycling Maps that highlights some of the best local trails. The map includes QR codes customers can scan for route info.
Plus, colored pencils hang from the map, letting customers add notes. “We want people to come in, write a note about trail conditions, and share information,” says 3Dots Design founder Holly Wiese, adding that this interactive feature turns the retail floor into an active local hub rather than just a place to buy gear.
Hands-On Product Testing
Recognizing how overwhelming technical gear can be, Marathon Sports uses hands-on displays to simplify complex equipment. For example, the shop features a dedicated zone where people can try on running vests, guided by signage that breaks down the process into three steps: select a vest, load it with trail fuel and test the fit on an in-store treadmill.
“It tells people, ‘Hey, this is something you might want to consider,’ and we’re making it as easy as possible so people can feel confident,” says Cooke.
While this setup makes gear accessible for newcomers, it is equally valuable for experienced runners navigating changing technology and premium options. As Hooper points out, discovering a fit issue on the trail leaves runners hesitant.
“You just become gun-shy,” he explains. “I’ve been burned so many times on a product I thought I was going to love and now I don’t want to waste my money.” Letting athletes test gear under real weight in-store ensures they don’t get miles into a run before realizing a vest fails to perform.
An Open, Airy Layout
To transform Marathon Sports into a genuine gathering place, the team designed an open, modern layout that creates a relaxed atmosphere and invites people to linger. Instead of packing the floor with standard display racks, they kept the space uncluttered and airy, using beautiful focal points to draw people through the store, such as a large-scale UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) feature image centered on the back apparel wall.
The layout also relies heavily on intentional visual spacing, utilizing features like clean wooden pegboards to break up merchandising walls and give shoppers a natural visual break.
Coffee, Hydration, and Community
By offering refreshments alongside dedicated social spaces, the store invites runners to linger. The floor plan pairs a lounge with a coffee bar and free Skratch Labs electrolyte drink mixes on tap. “It has a cool vibe,” says Hooper. “If you’re a van lifer, you can come in, use the Wi-Fi, and have a coffee.”
Cooke initially planned to partner with a local coffee shop before opting to buy a machine outright — a small investment that completely shifted the store’s atmosphere.
“We’re a service-oriented business,” says Cooke. “We’re always looking to level up how people feel when they enter our spaces. Real physical retail can’t compete on convenience with Amazon, so it’s got to deliver something absolutely novel, different, and desirable.”
Thoughtful Brand Storytelling
Rooted in community rather than plain transactions, the store highlights brand stories naturally rather than pushing hard sales pitches. Brand displays feature real athlete picks and adventure profiles instead of conventional promotions.
As Wiese explains, “When we feature a footwear piece, we don’t want just to have an ad on a catalog page. Instead, we tell the story about the athlete that’s wearing the shoe for some adventure.”
That same storytelling carries over into the fixtures, where glass-top coffee bar display cases showcase Hoka’s heritage. Even the Marathon Sports name itself is deliberately kept low-key throughout the interior, emphasizing that this is a genuine gathering spot rather than just a retail space.
Signaling a New Era
While plenty of design touches are subtle, the store also spotlights the bold, modern feel of Marathon Sports’ recent rebrand. Neon-yellow typography paired with modern black-and-white photos gives the interior a sharp edge while honoring the brand’s 51-year history.
That striking, contemporary style makes it clear this is a new era for Marathon Sports — one focused on building a complete brand that goes far beyond traditional retail to support every aspect of the running life. As Cooke explains, “We’re trying to build something beyond just selling products. We needed this rebrand to show we’re doing things differently."
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To explore more retail design strategies or consult on future projects, visit 3dotsdesign.com. Retailers can also catch founder Holly Wiese presenting visual merchandising clinics and educational sessions at industry events like Switchback and The Running Event (TRE).
Marcus Woolf, Trailheads Editor
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