The Running Store

Very friendly knowledgable service from staff. Cailey was a lot of help finding the right shoes to keep me running. Thanks for the help!

I have purchased my running shoes (several brands) exclusively from this store for many years. The customer service and quality are unsurpassed. Ian and his team have always gone above and beyond to ensure a great shopping experience. Their product knowledge, willingness to back everything they sell, and integrity are most impressive. They are a rare breed in today’s market. I highly recommend this store for all of your running/​walking shoe needs.

My daughter is very flat footed and her Dr. referred us here for inserts vs. going to an orthopedic and spending an arm and a leg. We were immediately greeted and helped by an extremely friendly and knowledgeable young man (I wish I had gotten his name). This guy knew his stuff and spent a lot of time fitting my daughter with the correct inserts, probably close to 45 minutes until she was comfortable. I went in expecting a high pressure ‘hey you need this, you need that’, NOT the case whatsoever. Very laid back no pressure sale and we even ordered her a pair of orthopedic flip flops with arch support! Neither of us are runners and would have never gone into this store had her Dr. not recommended them. If you’re a runner, athlete or have flat feet THIS is the place to go for a nice experience and super friendly knowledgeable staff!

They have a great selection of shoes and really take the time to find the best running shoe for you. Lots of styles to choose from. I am just a novice runner but I felt as though the salespeople there really took a lot of care to make sure I was happy with my purchase. I’m definitely happy I went.

I’ve been receiving excellent service since this store opened. I had previously been fitted with running shoes elsewhere but my needs (and feet) changed over time and therefore, my shoes needed to, as well.
The first time I went, they looked at my old shoes and how they had worn, and watched me walk back and forth. They even had me get on a treadmill in the store and recorded me walking/​running so they could look closer. They talked to me about my needs and any issues I was having and then brought out several shoes (different brands, different styles, etc) and had me try them on — one at a time, one on each foot, and take a walk/​run outside to ensure the selection was perfect.
I returned several times to repurchase the newest model of the shoe I had selected. Then… I developed plantar fasciitis. I went limping back into the store and was refitted. Again, they brought out severe different shoes. I tried each on, went for a short walk/​run outside and made the perfect selection. My plantar fasciitis has resolved and I’m still in that shoe today. In fact, I just picked up a new pair on Sunday.
I was so pleased with my experience that I talked my husband into going in to be fitted. He lost his leg to cancer in 2007 and has a prosthetic but since most of his weight is on his right leg, he was wearing through shoes every month or two. We went out and he received the same excellent service I had — they watched him walk, he tried on multiple shoes and found the perfect one with just the right amount of cushion and support needed to walk comfortably.
I highly recommend the store and the staff is always amazingly helpful!

I love the Running Store. The customer service is amazing, the staff goes above and beyond to help answer questions and are very knowledgeable. I have never had a bad experience with them and have recommended them to all of my friends.

I’ve been once many years ago and had a great experience and was happy to return with my girlfriend for I think an even greater experience this time. Ian was very knowledgeable helpful and had great customer service. From the evaluation of our running styles to the selection on shoes he was awesome. We played the dating game with the shoes wearing one from two different pairs outside and went for a short run came back and whichever felt the best stayed on through about five rounds until we narrowed it down to two pairs. Then for my girlfriend they went through various inserts for her arches again trying a couple of different ones before making a selection. We felt very happy and satisfied with our selections and would definitely recommend this place for anyone thinking about getting some running shoes.

Ian at the Running Store on 4÷30÷16 was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, as well as kind and patient.
If you want good service and great athletic shoes, go to The Running Store in Gainesville.

What a great resource to have in our community! These guys are fantastic, friendly and phenomenal! They have such a great wealth of knowledge and are always helpful and friendly with all my fitness and running related questions. Not only that, they fitted me with the perfect running shoe (Nike Vomero 10’s) and on my first run it felt like I was running on pillowy soft clouds! They also did a quick gain analysis on their treadmill with video to help me in my shoe decision. You should also join their VIP program for additional discounts and perks. That was $ 50 well spent! Whenever I am in the area I pop in to say hello to Ian and crew as they are the friendliest bunch you’ll meet! So, please support your local business and The Running Store. No longer will I shop at the big box shoe stores! Oh, and be sure to come out to Gainesville Middle School every Wednesday night at 7pm for a great interval track workout… it’s free and will help you reach your fitness and running goals!

Use to be a good store, but the guy with the thick bread and terrible combover sucks (he is not listed on your website). Re-​visited this location to get fitted for new running shoes. Sales guy didn’t want give any advice. He got my shoe size wrong and wanted to charge me for the gait analysis, when it’s clearly a free service. Then when I returned the shoes, I was given a gift card instead of my cash back. You have lost a customer.

This review is for the excellent service I received a year ago. I was visiting from out of state and came in for running shoes, having no idea what I needed or liked. They spend a LOT of time with me, starting with measurements and gait analysis, and I think they showed me every shoe in the place. The staff changed over during the time I was there, from morning to afternoon crew, and the morning guy spent a lot of time telling the afternoon guy everything about me and what we had tried and liked, didn’t like, etc.
They figured out why I always have such troubles with shoes: apparently one foot is a 9.5 regular width and one is a 8.5 double-​wide. For years I have just been buying 10s because my feet get into them, but the result is that my shorter foot moved back and forth causing massive calluses and extra stress on my hips.
All told I was there about 3 hours. I got two pairs of shoes: a pair of Brooks for treadmill running and Alta trail runners for off-​road jogging. Brooks allowed me to split the sizes for an extra $ 20, and get the exact size for each foot. The Alta are just a different kind of shape which is naturally much wider right where I need it.
They offered a discount for military, police, fireman, etc. I got 10% off for my husband being a nurse.
Even knowing I was out of state and this would be a one time purchase, they were still incredibly committed to my needs.

Excellent customer service hands down. Ian the owner of the running store Gainesville, VA really takes the time to help you find the perfect running shoe for you

I went this store because my daughter wanted a pair of running shoes and what she and I both learned was so much more than buying a pair of shoes … Shoes, shocks, equipment all plays into having a good run… and Ian knows how to fix those nagging little problems like hurting knees and tingling toes. Now all I have to do to talk my daughter into the half Marathon in September. Thank you Ian!

Went in to get my daughter sized for running shoes and ended up getting a pair for myself. The staff is very friendly and helpful. You get measured for size, then you have an evaluation to capture your running form to find what shoes are best for you. All kids shoes are 25% off so I’ll definitely come here when it’s time to get more shoes.

About a week after I bought the shoes the owner emailed me to check and see if they’re working out alright. Wow! This store seriously has the best customer service! I cannot recommend them enough!

I’ll try to be brief here (unlike my other reviews) because there’s a simple reason this business gets 5-​stars: they care less about themselves than they do you.
I came in one day about two months ago in desperate need of a good pair of shoes… BUT… I was *very* particular about what I needed. Generally, I run «barefoot.» Not literally, but with a suuuuper slimline shoe. Give me a millimeter of sole and only enough cushion to protect from pebbles and debris.
The problem: no one makes this kind of shoe. At least not without knowing niche brands like Merrell and Skora (big ups to the staff for teaching me about them).
Now, the reason this review gets 5-​stars is that, not only did they sit down (three of them) and teach me about various brands and bio-​anatomy, but they happened to have an old old pair of shoes a previous customer had special ordered and then backed out from… which they gave to me.
It was either me or the trash so they decided to help me out and I am massively grateful to them for being so willing to give me their time and attention and for being willing to parlay money to get me a pair of shoes that would work for my marathon training until I could test out other brands and feel out various styles of low profile shoes.
They have my business. And the business of anyone who trusts my word when I recommend them. Do yourself a favor and stop by. These guys are awesome.

I was intimidated to go into this store because I’m not really a runner. I’m on week 5 of the couch to 5k plan but a shin splint in my right leg was really discouraging me. I read online that ill fitting shoes might be the cause, so I came to the Running Store to find a pair that would fit me better. I was scared they were going to put me on the treadmill for an hour and make me run farther and faster than I wanted to. Guess what, you only have to jog for 15 seconds! The lady that helped me (sorry I didn’t catch her name) was really friendly and honest about the merchandise in the store. I ended up buying a pair of Nike’s that she said would eliminate the shin splint. I walked out of the store with my new Nike’s on, ran 20 minutes, and I was PAIN FREE. I could not believe it. I expected to spend $ 150 in the store and I spent way less. I highly recommend this place for beginner runners!

Just wanted to give some feedback on the store’s customer service. I went to this store about 2 weeks ago after receiving a prescription from my foot doctor for orthotics.
Matt was the employee that ended up ‘helping’ me. Not only did he make me feel like I was wasting his time, he was very condescending about the orthotics. In addition to the inserts, I asked him several times about running shoes. He couldn’t be bothered to help me. So, I left the store vowing to never shop there again and to take my business elsewhere. I found a wonderful pair of running shoes at a fabulous store in Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, I will never set foot in this store again, and will recommend the same to my friends.

It would be hard to overstate how great the customer service is at The Running Store. The owner, Ian, is a true expert who takes the time to make sure every customer gets exactly the right gear for whatever activity they enjoy. It’s not just for runners — they have gear for cyclists, aerobics, walking, and more, but they truly excel at caring for runners. I have been buying running shoes for my whole family here for about six years, and they have never disappointed. I will be a loyal customer for as long as I have feet that need shoes!

Bought my second pair of sneakers from The Running Store this past week.
I came in here a few years ago to check out their sneakers — they put me on a treadmill and observed my walking gait or whatever they call it. Based on that, they recommended a specific type of shoe. I went with a New Balance that fit their recommendations. I like NB sneakers as I have wide feet and I can order extra wide sneakers to fit my wide feet.
Fast forward to this week. I simply wanted another pair of what I already had. Unfortunately, New Balance no longer makes the sneaker I used to have. The folks at The Running Store showed me the shoe that replaced the one I had. I was all set to try it on — but they did not have an 11.5 in an extra wide size in stock.
So I had them order a pair for me to try on. They called last week to tell the shoes had arrived and so I visited yesterday to try them on.
The sneakers fit fine. I will say that they are a little more garish than I would prefer. I really don’t need my sneakers to be all sorts of fluorescent and shiny colors. But that is not The Running Store’s fault.
I asked if they had any extra sets of shoe laces. I’ve found it’s always a good idea to buy a couple extra sets of laces at the time of purchase — as you never know what you may be able to get down the road. Turns out they don’t carry extra shoe laces for the shoes they carry — that is to say the same laces that come with any given pair of shoes. Instead they try to sell you this ridiculous lacing system that is supposed to relieve one of the task of ever having to tie their shoes. I passed. I guess I am old school and prefer to tie my own sneakers. I think we are getting far to lazy as a society.
In any case, service was good. I bought the new pair of sneakers.