Philadelphia Runner Owner Ross Martinson shares the lessons learned from 20+ years in business, including the differences between running urban and suburban stores and what he wishes he knew two decades ago. We are also joined by Dan Sullivan and Tony Macey of Skechers who discuss the brand's new super shoe and new athlete endorsers.
Andy Kimerling of Westchester Road Runner tells tales of his 40+ years in the business and how his basement full of shoes allows him to keep his customers coming back for more. On the brand side, we are joined by Kevin McHale, VP Sales, Run Specialty & Omnichannel, ASICS America, who discusses the brand's collaboration with Bandit Running, its work with run club and how ASICS balances growth with a strong commitment to run specialty.
Joe Rubio of Running Warehouse talks about Chinese brands, his journey in the business and what he sees for the future. Abigail Hollie discusses The Running Industry Diversity Coalition's new career event taking place in Philadelphia in October. And our listeners sound off with their Chafes of the Week about how to cope with special discounts. We promise a provocative and entertaining episode.
Marathon Sports CEO Ben Cooke and store designer Holly Weise of 3 Dots Design talk about the recently opened trail centric store in North Conway, NH. The pair talk about the vision to bring the look and feel of famous UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) to a run store. And the challenges in doing that: building a giant rock wall, working with brand partners and getting the kegerator to work. Ben also pulls back the curtain on Marathon's new branding and the store's goal to be " the trusted guide to run culture" in the Northeast.
Two great perspectives on what makes run specialty work. From Tokyo, we are joined by CEO of ASICS America Kodama-san. He expounds on the brand's commitment to run specialty and discusses the changing running landscape in the United States and around the world. Our retail guest is Aleighsha Nichols, GM of Running Lab in Michigan, the reigning store of the Year. Aleighsha recounts her career journey and her adventures in retail. Listen in for her inspiring, entertaining tale. And as a bonus, we are joined by Bobby Rossi, CEO of the Runningman Festival who talks about his event and offers up discounted admission for Slingin' Shoes listeners.
Mark and Chris deliver their hot take on the annual Best Running Stores List. And are joined by Genae Salinas and Emma Galeckas of TRE who explain how the list was developed and how they have adapted the criteria over the past two years. We also get into how business can be better for run stores in a candid discussion with Josh Higgins of OS1st. How can stores drive more traffic, increase frequency of visits and boost the average units per transaction. Listen in for our ideas.
Part 2 of our retailer interviews from the Altra spring/summer meeting. Matt Chandler of Run As You Are in Vancouver, BC talks about the store's innovative membership program, and Chris Winter, GM of Reno Running in Nevada expounds on the critical topic of staffing. Chris shares his ideas on recruitment, training and what to do when it doesn't work out. All that, plus the chafe of the week.
This episode features two wonderful retailers: Dom Zambrano, 19 months into his ownership at Running Wild, and John Gignac, a store manager for Red Coyote Running and Fitness in OKC. Sandwiched in between these two retailers is Jen McLaren, president of Altra, who shares the strategy behind the brand's surging growth and its commitment to run specialty. Co-Host Chris Farley lets loose on his "Chafe of the Week:" too many great shoes all at once. An action packed, informational episode.
This episode includes two insightful interviews on careers in the running business. We hear from Dan Schade, GM of the Americas for On, who oversees the brand's business across the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean. He traces his career journey from slingin shoes at Fleet Feet San Francisco to joining On and contributing to the brand's growth. Dan shares how his experience at retail helped shape his skills and attitudes toward shaping a culture and building a team. We are also joined by Slinger extraordinaire Luke Palmer of Palmetto Running Co. in South Carolina. Luke reveals how his passion for running translates to the service he offers and experience he creates for PRC's customers. Please share this episode with your staffers as it offers great lessons and inspiration on careers in the business.
Join us for a true Daily Double of an episode featuring James Batey of Flostate Running in Vashon Island, Washington and Dan Sullivan of Skechers. James has won more than $500,000 as a contestant on game shows and is hoping his next win is with a new running store on a small island outside of Seattle. Dan provides our listeners with an update on Skechers' growing commitment to performance. The brand has signed 20 MLB players, five NBA stars and is sponsoring two major race series: Wicked Wine and Hot Chocolate. Drink it all in on our latest episode.
They say you could write a book about run retailing. Well Mike Cosentino did. The founder of Big Peach Running Co. does a deep dive on his Peach Partners growth plan and why language and terminology are essential to his stores' culture. We also hear from Deanthony White, director of Charm City Mobile, about how this innovative program literally meets customers where they are. And we get up close with Eric Contreras of Runners Plus in Dayton, the new president of the Running Industry Association. All sessions were recorded at the recent RIA Summit in Atlanta.
As their store celebrates its 50th anniversary, Jon and Betsy Hughes of Track Shack in Orlando discuss how the business is moving on to its next generation of ownership through their son Christopher. The Hughes family shares the practical, personal and legal challenges involved in this transition and offer their lessons and advice for any store that is going through this process or considering it.
One guest. Dozens of stories and insights. Olympian Jenny Simpson dishes on her new role as Chief Running Officer at Fleet Feet and recalls getting her first pair of shoes at Track Shack in Orlando, where she was "raised on running." She also sheds light on her year-long cross-country road trip where she and her husband Jason ran with thousands of runners from Colorado and North Carolina. Jenny also reveals what she got wrong about super shoes and how better gear, fueling and recovery will continue to help runners break records.
Join Mark and Chris and four guests as we do a deep dive on sustainability and the running business in advance of Earth Day. Hear from Wayne Elsey, founder of Sneakers4Good, about how his organization helps shoes find a productive second life; Gain some wisdom and insight from Alicia Chin about her role with Altra, Smartwool and Icebreaker. Caspar Coppetti, one of the founders of On Running, shares how living in Switzerland has shaped his personal and business perspective on sustainability. And Laura Bolgen discusses ASICS' ambitious Nimbus Mirai shoe.
From the mountains of Switzerland to the hills of Texas, Slingin' Shoes features two uplifting conversations. Garrett Sage, owner of Irun Texas, tells Mark and Chris what he learned managing an Amazon warehouse and why he walked away to work for Fleet Feet and eventually buy his own store. Our brand interview is with Caspar Coppetti, one of the founders of On, who recently assumed the co-CEO title with another founder David Allemann. Caspar discusses product innovation, channel segmentation and how On works to stay entrepreneurial at $4 billion in annual sales.
We celebrate Women's History Month with two women who are leaving their mark on the run business: Kathy Dalby of Pacers Running and Burke Beck of Red Coyote Running. The pair share what prompted them to launch the Empowerun Retreat and reveal how the event is an important forum to discuss the challenges women face not only in the business, but in their work and home relationships. Tune in for a candid, inspiring conversation.
Dave Zimmer shares some of his greatest hits from 30 years as owner of the Fleet Feet Chicago franchise. He also talks about his plans to open a 10th store and the relationships, community, charitable giving and customers that keep him motivated. Spoiler alert: Dave also reveals who really developed the phrase "Running Changes Everything." Tune in and find out.
Mark and Chris explore two very different stores: The Loop Running Supply in Austin, Texas and Whirlaway Sports in Methuen, Massachusetts. Ryan Hess from The Loop discusses his "new age running store," which blends the style and innovation of a fashion sneaker boutique with the community outreach and customer service of a running store. Ryan gives the scoop on the store's brand collaboration strategy and how he has pioneered brands such as Satisfy and Pleasures. Ryan Kowal is a second-generation slinger who has worked at Whirlaway Sports for 22 years. He shares his tips on product knowledge, customer service and making customers happy.
Co-hosts Mark Sullivan and Chris Farley battle the elements to bring you an interview with store owner Karen Roberts and Social Media Marketing Manager Erica Barrera of Get Fit in Amarillo, Texas. The duo discusses how their social media marketing has helped grow the store to $3 million in annual sales. And Karen shares her plans to open a second store this month. Tune in for an educational, entertaining listen.
Eric Fruth, co-owner of Columbus Running Company, shares his three-leg stool philosophy: Retail, Races and Social and Training programs, and how they work together to drive business in his six stores. Eric also discusses CRC's innovative Grasshopper youth running club program and how it builds customers of the future and boosts the store's youth footwear sales. A great start to 2026!