Walking Shoe Guide: Specialty Shoe Stores

Where They Fit You Right

Finding a technical running and walking shoe store can be a challenge, but one well worth spending the time to achieve. Once you have found the best pair of shoes for you with the aid of the staff at such a store, your future choices will be easier. You will be able to order the same style live or online, or ask for a similar style if they change.

How to Find Stores

• Yellow page listings that appear to cater to serious runners and walkers.

• Pick up the local running magazine and see which stores advertise in it.

• Call the store and try to find out their level of knowledge by asking if they have any good straight last shoes or good shoes for overpronators. Their response will be a clue as to their level of expertise.

• Check the listings below.

Fleet Feet Sports: Multiple locations throughout the US.
Walking Co.: Multiple locations throughout the US.
REI: Multiple locations, good for fitting trail shoes and boots.

USA West

AK: Anchorage: Skinny Raven Sports
AK: Fairbanks: Beaver Sports
AZ: Prescott: Swift Feet
AZ: Phoenix: Gear Running Store
AZ: Scottsdale: Scottsdale Running Co.
AZ: Tempe and Tucson: Performance Footwear
AZ: Tucson: The Running Shop
CA: Berkeley: La Foot
CA: Brea, Fountain Valley, Laguna Hills, Pasadena: Snail's Pace Running
CA: Carmel: The Treadmill 831-624-4112.
CA: Coronado: The Urban Athlete
CA: Danville, Walnut Creek: Forward Motion Sports
CA: Encinitas, La Mesa, Pacific Beach, Penasquitos, San Diego: Movin Shoes
CA: Encino, Santa Monica, Marina del Rey: Top to Top/Sneaker Warehouse
CA: Los Altos, Menlo Park: The Runners High
CA: Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach: Village Runner
CA: Napa: Napa Running Company
CA: Oakland, San Francisco: See Jane Run Sports
CA: San Diego: Roadrunner Sports
CA: San Francisco: Team SSE
CA: San Francisco: Hoy's Sports (800) 873-4329
CO: Boulder, Colorado Springs, Littleton: Boulder Running Company
CO: Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Denver, Aurora, Highland Ranch: Runners Roost.
CO: Fort Collins Foot of the Rockies
OR: Beaverton/Tigard and Portland: Portland Running and Walking Co.
OR: Portland: Pace Setter Athletic503-777-3214
OR: Portland and WA: Vancouver: Fit Right NW
OR: Wilsonville: Pace Setter Athletic/BooCoo Running Co.: 503-682-0539
UT: Bountiful: DeBoer's Running Store 801-292-7774.
WA: Seattle: Super Jock 'n Jill
WA: Redmond and Issaquah: FootZone 425-556-0383
WA: Olympia: South Sound Running

USA Central

IL: Chicago area: Dick Pond Athletics 630-665-3316
IL: Highland Park: New Balance Superstore
IN: Carmel: Runners ForumHome of the Indiana Racewalkers, so they know walkers!
MI: Locations in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Holland: Gazelle Sports
MN: Minneapolis: Gear Running Store
OH: Delaware: Second Sole Athletic Shoes, 740-369-0622
OH: Milford and O'Byronville: Bob Roncker's Running Spot/New Balance
Wisconsin: Ray's Shoes, multiple locations.
TX: Dallas: Run On, with two locations in Dallas and Richardson.
TX: Dallas: Swiatocha's Athletic Store
TX: Austin: RunTex3 locations.

USA East

MD: Baltimore: Holabird Sports 410-687-6400.
Massachusetts: Marathon Sports, three locations 617-354-4161.
NJ: Princeton: Princeton Running Co. 609-252-9110.
NJ: Ridgewood: Ridgewood Running Co. 201-670-1828.
NY: Brooklyn: The Running Start 718-934-9113.
PA: Bethlehem: Aardvark Sports Shop 610-866-8300.
PA: Pittsburgh: Elite Runners and Walkers412-490-0881.
PA: York: Flying Feet
VA: Alexandria: Pacers703-836-1463.

USA South

AL: Birmingham Trak Shak
AR: Fayetteville: Fleet Feet
FL: Miami: Footworks
FL: Boca Raton: The Runner's Edge. 561-361-1950.
GA: Emory and Buckhead: The Sport Shoe 404-231-0031
TN: Knoxville: Runners Market 865-588-1650.

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