.jpg.small.400x400.jpg)
A new year breeds familiar energy from run specialty shops, who charged out of The Running Event last December and into 2026 with their characteristic blend of creativity and hustle.
Speed dating – for real
On Valentine’s Day, A Snail’s Pace hosted its Altra Solemates Speed Dating Run in Costa Mesa, CA (photo above). The event gave “speed dating” a new meaning as it randomly paired singles together to run a lap together at the Costa Mesa High School track. Individuals could then reconnect afterward using a recorded bib number.
To deflect some of the awkwardness a singles’ event could bring, ASP cleverly teased the event this way: “Meet new running partners in the area or connect with someone new through a simple, lighthearted group run.”
The In-Store 5k
“Sometimes you gotta get your miles in at work,” jokes Eli Reed, manager of the Columbus Running Company store in Delaware, OH.
So, what did Reed do? He strapped on a pair of the Salomon Aero Glide 4 and embarked on a 5K run inside the CRC store. On his tours around the 1200-square foot showroom, Reed altered directions every quarter mile while maintaining a healthy 7:30 pace.
Highlighting neighbors amid a major road construction project
While a $10 million infrastructure project promises to modernize Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola, FL, the expansive five-month project has also closed the busy roadway to car traffic and is dealing a blow to local businesses located along the strip.
In an effort to bring awareness to the lively independent shops along Palafox, Running Wild introduced a video series called “How’s It Run?” The short videos feature Running Wild owner Dom Zambrano visiting Palafox-based operations and chatting with their principals.
In the series’ first episode, Zambrano introduced Maker’s Café & Espresso Bar and owner Caleb Pierce. Zambrano and Pierce discussed the origins of Maker’s Café in 2021, the shop’s most popular drink and its rise as an institution on Palafox. Later episodes spotlighted a jeweler and a pizza shop.
The fun-loving video series serves as a great example of cross marketing between local businesses and certainly sparks good karma for Zambrano and his Running Wild crew.
Sequel and a Speakeasy
With its spinoff, Sequel by Annex, Indianapolis-based Athletic Annex gives returned and lightly used shoes a second life. The Annex crew cleans and inspects all footwear and then divides them into three distinct categories: Like New, Road-Tested and Used. Sequel sells its footwear online and at in-person events, including its popular Speakeasy sales events.
On Jan. 16-17, Sequel by Annex took its first Speakeasy of 2026 away from an Athletic Annex store and into an off-site location. In addition to offering thousands of gently worn shoes, the Speakeasy offered sale apparel with rising discounts according to the number of items purchased.
This running store is $10,000 richer
Congrats to Virginia-based RunAbout Sports Roanoke, which recently won a $10,000 Backing Small Businesses Grant from American Express and Main Street America. One of 400 U.S. recipients of the grant, RunAbout is using the grant to enhance race and event support to further promote outdoor recreation, tourism and economic development in its area.
In January, RunWell (photo above) opened its second location in the college town of Edwardsville, IL. Down in Texas, both The Loop Running Supply and Get Fit added second stores in Austin and Amarillo, respectively.
Welcome to the run specialty world Carol and Jesse Holland. Just before the new year, the couple opened Haraka Run and Walk in Hyattsville, MD. Haraka, which translates to “speed” in Swahili, is the first run specialty store in Prince George’s County. The Hollands were the inaugural recipients of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition's Run the Block grant, which helped them enter the running retail game.
And finally, Blue Sky Endurance has become the new owners of The Foot Store in Mount Pleasant, SC, though longtime Foot Store owner Carolyn Varndell will remain a present force on the sales floor of the 25-year-old running shop.
And finally …
Sending sincere well wishes to Keri Straughn of Palmetto Running Company, who recently exited the 15-year-old, family-owned business to prioritize her health. As a teen, Straughn was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (vEDS) affecting her body’s connective tissue. The condition has increasingly complicated daily tasks and challenged the delicate balance of business ownership, family responsibilities and motherhood for Straughn, who oversaw marketing and design for Palmetto.
Alongside her father Rob Fyfe and brother Christian Fyfe, Straughn built Palmetto into a regional powerhouse in South Carolina’s coastal Lowcountry with stores in Bluffton, SC, and Hilton Head Island. In 2023, Palmetto was named Store of the Year at The Running Event, earning particular praise for its environmental ethos and community-building spirit.
Have a compelling event, project or initiative to propose for a future Running Spirit column? Contact Running Insight senior writer Danny Smith at [email protected] with details. You can also follow Danny on Instagram @runspecialtyinsider.
