Napa Running Company

Great staff & selection. Elise had me in & out right away. And I LOVE my new shoes to the moon!

In addition to have great support and service, they have an expanded line of new and interesting clothes and watches. They are always bringing in new cool hip athletic gear. I check in here every few weeks to see what new cool items they have. Thank you guys and gals

Just stopped in looking for a quick last minute accessory for my workout tonight. Unfortunately they didn’t have it in inventory, but the greatest thing happened– they were closed and saw me at the door and still opened to offer service. Got to love small hometown businesses. Thanks!

Just am starting to run again after years on a bike, and hiking. Lots of questions, and concerns about what shoes, fit, and my type of foot. Leslie and Louis, were so helpful spent an hour fitting, and helping pick the right shoe, sent me out on the river walk to test out different options, made such a positive impression on me. They are both obviously super fit runners, but not a hint of condescension or talking down to me. Thank you both, I highly recommend the experience for anyone looking for the right shoe, or running accessories.

Great little running store and I got a wonderful deal on Nike shorts. Clean store, cool staff with lots of useful information!
Their sales are pretty spectacular (if you look) and they have a dressing room in the back!

LOVE LOVE LOVE Napa Running Company! Great customer service and very knowledgeable staff. I went in to be fitted for a new pair of shoes and am thrilled with what I purchased. They didn’t push any particular brands — just had me try on various neutral shoes (that’s what I need) and even let me run around the parking lot to try them out! I highly recommend them.

This place is exactly what you want in a good running store. Lots of gear, knowledgeable staff, and a good location. I specifically went in since I SADLY left my running socks at home while visiting a friend in the area. One blister-​ful borrowed-​sock run later, I knew I needed to drop in. It was during BottleRock, so parking/​driving in the area was a disaster, though they do have a designated lot. I was fortunate to find a street spot a block away and limped on over.
Although they were pretty busy, it was well-​laid out. They have a lot of the fun stuff that I like — headbands that stay put in all different patterns and colors, safety gear, different sunglasses (mostly Oakley), and a bunch of cute, colorful running clothes. They even had a (small) sale section with a bunch of Moving Comfort bras for $ 20! Best of all, they had Balega socks in brilliantly neon colors, and for less than what I usually see them for, if I can even find them!
I know from speaking with a friend who bought shoes here that they go through the whole fitting process: assess how you stand, walk, run, arches, pronation, etc. He was pretty pleased, plus I know locals get a discount.
I did find it a bit hard to locate, maybe because I am too dependent on my Nav system, but the storefront is very unimposing. The sign is pretty small, without anything too flashy outside. Again, it was really busy and I was doing my best to dodge the pedestrians running into the streets while looking for the sign. I’m positive it’s easier to find under less festival-​y circumstances!

An amazing experience buying my new shoes! Very thorough and helpful customer service. They put a lot of work into helping me find the right shoe! Friendly and knowledgeable are the two things I look for!

A great serious local running store, knows what they’re talking about, friendly and helpful people. went there a few times now and every time got exactly what I was looking for. what can I say… they know running :-)…

The Bads:
Not much. Maybe that its full retail price on most items? It’s whats expected for a local mom and pop shop, though and if you’re looking to support local, it’s usually a given.
The Goods:
1) Super friendly and helpful workers here. As soon as I stepped in I was helped out and wasn’t at any time pressured to buy a shoe now now now. As a matter of fact one gentlemen asked if I needed help and when I told him I was browsing he seemed to make it his business to give me space (not that I minded him around). Great folks here. I ended up getting a ton of information on running groups and local places to run as I am a temporary resident in the area and needed to get oriented.
2) A surprising selection of all the «real» running shoes. I didn’t think it would have this much from looking outside, but once I step in, wow.
3) They do have a sales rack outside.
4) Very clean and well organized. Again, the exterior «small mom and pop shop» belays the impressive selection and setup you find inside.

I went to the Napa running company to get some new gear for my new workout plan. The staff was so helpful and knowledgeable. They gave me great advice and got me exactly the type of clothing and shoes I was looking for. I have been using everything for a few months now and couldn’t be happier. Would highly recommend this store to any type of person. They have a great selection of workout gear and great staff to help. A+

I’ve thought long and hard before writing this review, but I am still bothered by my experience there and feel the need to share.
I’ve been to Napa Running Company before, a few years back, where I was fitted with excellent shoes. I was a first-​timer. I’d gotten more serious about running in college, but knew next to nothing about proper footwear. After some gait analysis, several jogs up and down the sidewalk, and a lesson that my size 6.5 feet actually belonged in a size 8 shoes (for swelling, of course!), I walked away so happy. I jogged those neutral running shoes to death, and then came back and bought another pair.
They stopped selling the pair I wanted, and I came in this most recent time requesting a pair of minimalist running shoes, as I’d been told I might fare well in them. I told the girl what type, and size, of shoe I’d used before. She asked me some questions like why I wanted minimalist shoes and did I know anything about them and what type of training I was planning on doing in the shoes. I tried to tell her some of the research I’d done and why I had an interest in those shoes, but she kept interrupting me to tell me it was a terrible idea. So, being easily influenced, I decided to see what she’d recommend instead. I thought, «These are the professionals and this is why you come here!»
Next came the sizing and gait analysis. She saw that my feet were a 6.5 on one side and nearly a 7 on the other. I told her I had happily worn a size 8 in running shoes for a long time and that I don’t think I’d be comfortable in anything much larger. She ignored me completely. She brought out four pairs of shoes, all size 8.5 or 9 and all heavy-​duty stability shoes. NOTHING like what I asked for. I told her they all felt big and clunky when I ran in them, but she told me over and over again «You’ll get used to it. This is the type of shoe you need to be training in. If you train in anything else, you’ll get injured.»
Finally, after half an hour, she grudgingly brought out a pair of minimalist running shoes… in a size 9. They were huge. My feet were swimming in every pair of shoes she brought me and it was a hot, sweaty day. I looked longingly at their display wall, full of shoes I wanted to try. When I asked, she actually took a tone and told me, «Yeah I guess I could bring different shoes out for you, but you’d go back to one of these I’ve already brought out anyway, so why bother!»
Under the guise of making a decision, I took a look at the display wall at a pair I really wanted. They were similar to my old shoes, the neutral ones that I had loved, but with a more minimal flare. I also noted that every single pair of shoes she brought me, save the minimalist shoes, were some of the most expensive in the store.
I left the store, went home, and ordered a pair of shoes online. It turns out, I AM a size 8. And after running in these shoes consistently for over a month, I know I made the right choice. A couple reviews online led me to my current shoes. If the girl in that store had stopped to listen to me for one minute, she might have compared my beloved discontinued shoes to ones on her display wall. Instead, I let someone do it for me on the internet.
I will not ever go back.

I am not a runner yet, but still walking with a plan to begin training for my first 5K. I had previously been fitted for running shoes to walk in and had been buying the same model over the years. Before I transitioned running I wanted to check if my shoes would be suitable since I’m overweight, out of shape and recovering from a back injury, and I didn’t want to take any chances.
I arrived at Napa Running Company late, only about 20 minutes before they closed only to be warmly greeted by Russell and also the President of the Vine Runners group who were going out on a run. I apologized for getting there so late and offered to come back but they wouldn’t hear of it.
I had a list of questions and brought my old walking shoes and a pair I had been walking on for about 20 days. A brand they incidently didn’t carry anymore, but he assessed them for me anyway. Russell did a thorough gate assessment, barefooted and in the shoes I brought with me, which he thought were overkill for my level of pronation. He then fitted me for a new pair of sleek shoes and even let me try them out outside the pavement while he continued to assess my gate.
I came prepared to buy one maybe even two pair of shes and perhaps a runners lap watch. However, Russell assured me that my 20 day old shoes would wear out and I should come back then, as long as they weren’t causing injuries, rather than buying the shoes he fitted me for. He said that I didn’t need a second pair of shoes to rotate and a my regular sports watch would do fine. He even showed me a better way to tie my current shoes for more support. He didn’t even rush me out though I was there after closing time.
So I tried very hard to drop several hundred dollars in the Napa Running Company, but instead I came away with a lot of good advice and information about shoes and a beginning a running program and a what I believe is a accurate assessment of my gate. The Vine Runners offered their support if I needed it, which was nice. Though technically not a customer yet, I will definitely go back to Napa Running Company for my next pair of shoes.
I was beginning to think customer service was dead, but this place is over the top with customer service! I’ve never posted a review on Unilocal before but I just had to share this experience. Go spend your $$$ there and buy local.

The only store where i buy my running shoes. If they don’t have what you want they will order it for you, it may take a week but at least your buying local. They also have a great running group that leave the store at 8:30am on Saturdays.

I really appreciated the knowledgeable staff and great service during an early visit to the store. Being a newbie to long distance running, I went in to investigate the different options for fueling up during a marathon. Not only did Russell explain the difference between, GU, Blocks, etc, he hooked me up with a handful of samples of each so I could try them out. It’s pretty rare to find this kind of service these days and I’ll continue to support this family business.

My wife has been looking for some running shoes but there are specific qualities that she is looking for. Katie was very patient and took the time to see her pace and find out exactly what kind of shoe she needed. They slowly narrowed it down, only to find out that Napa didn’t carry the right size.
No problem. Katie explained where we could find what she was looking for in LA and what questions to ask. I have to say that this is the best customer service we have ever seen at a shoe store.

I needed proper running shoes and had very little insight to what I needed in a shoe so I went to Napa Running Company. The sales associate will assess the way you walk and they will show you shoes that would be a good fit for your needs. I got some nice shoes that I loved so much I wanted to wear them even when I wasn’t running. I have browsed their athletic clothing too, but I am not a hardcore athlete so the prices were way too expensive for me to buy anything. They do have good stuff though and I will not have qualms about buying my next pair of shoes from them.

My boyfriend and I found this wonderful place on our most recent visit to Napa. He is currently training for a half-​marathon so we needed to stick to his training program even on our vacation. The staff were wonderful and went out of their way to talk to us about local trails – they even drew maps for us! I never got the vibe that they were only helping us so we would buy things– they were just totally genuine and friendly. They invited us to run with their Saturday morning 8:30am group, called the Vine Runners, and the owner Greg hung out in the back with my boyfriend and me (the staggling runner who never runs) – he wanted to make sure we didn’t get lost and had such a positive attitude and made me feel included in the running group regardless of my slow pace. This business cares about people. Thank you for the great service!

This place is the real deal. Quality, quality and more quality. The people working here are also VERY serious runners and know what they are talking about when they advise a certain shoe or running gear.

These people took pity on we two lonely vagabonds from down in SD… we did not know if there was a shuttle to the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon. Greg the owner and Jorge, took time out to help us find the start and the shuttle for Sunday’s run. I bought some cool Prana stuff there which oddly being from SD, I would not be able to find. They have a 6:00 pm group run on Thursdays and another one at 8:30 am on Saturdays. We will most definitely join them when we return in November. Great store and nice, helpful people!
Love your show and we will be back!