Running Insight 6.1.17

THE NEWSMAGAZINE FOR RUNNING SPECIALTY RETAILERS / RUNNINGINSIGHT.COM

Mizuno Hits the Reset Button

ON THE MOVE SIZING UP THE CHILDREN’S MARKET HOW TO WIN AT CUSTOMER SERVICE

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Mizuno Men’s Wave Horizon

MIZUNO MOVE After some sluggish years, Mizuno has hit the reset button with renewed optimism for what’s ahead.

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

C

huck Couch doesn’t hide from reality.

He knows the numbers don’t lie. Mizuno completed 2016 holding the sixth position in both units sold and dollar sales in the run specialty channel, according to data from Sports Marketing Surveys USA, sitting much closer to seventh-place Hoka One One than to fifth-place Nike. A mainstay on running specialty store footwear walls for the last two decades, recent years haven’t been kind to Mizuno. Despite having two of the channel’s steadiest performers in the Wave Rider and Wave Inspire, other models in the

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Running Insight is published twice each month, is edited for owners and top executives at running specialty stores and available only via email.The opinions by authors and contributors to Running Insight are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. Articles appearing in Running Insight may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. Formula4Media, LLC, P.O. Box 23-1318, Great Neck, NY 11023. Tel: 516-305-4709.

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ON THE

Mizuno lineup have struggled to gain traction while established names such as the Precision, Alchemy, Elixir and Nirvana have disappeared. At the same time, some veteran leaders in the Mizuno running enterprise departed, including former running head Fritz Taylor, now the vice president of running at Under Armour, as well as veteran sales executive Dave Lambert. Those internal troubles, of course, coincided with the market share-snagging plays of upstart brands such as Hoka and Altra as well as run specialty’s downward turn after years of surging annual growth. As a result, Mizuno’s inventory backed up, revenue declined and company leaders were left hunting for answers in an increasingly complicated marketplace.

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Mizuno on the Move (continued) Chuck Couch shows off Mizuno’s Wave Sky shoe.

“Consumer interest and the relationship and responsiveness of vendors matter and, just like retailers, Mizuno needs to find ways to freshen up what it’s offering.”

TRAE HOEPNER, PERFORMANCE RUNNING OUTFITTERS

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“No one anticipated that things would come to a stop the way they did,” says Couch, the man charged to lead Mizuno’s revival as its new vice president of business management for running. “It’s not a thing any running company could get out of easily.”

Mizuno’s recent struggles aren’t lost on running retailers, either.

At Performance Running Outfitters, a fourstore, Milwaukee-based chain, owner Trae Hoepner says Mizuno has slipped to his store’s “fifth or sixth” selling footwear brand after years of holding steady at third. He attributes Mizuno’s decline in his doors to a mix of static footwear and a brand sales force that has struggled to generate interest in Mizuno product.

“A lot of companies make great shoes, but that’s not the whole story,” Hoepner says.

“Consumer interest and the relationship and responsiveness of vendors matter and, just like retailers, Mizuno needs to find ways to freshen up what it’s offering.”

Thirteen years ago, Mizuno was the first brand on the Columbus Running Company’s (CRC) footwear wall, a reality that CRC coowner Jim Jurcevich says assures Mizuno a special place in the Ohio company’s heart.

That said, Jurcevich confesses, CRC currently sits in a holding pattern with Mizuno.

“There have been a lot of personnel changes and moving pieces and we want to know where they’re headed, especially since nothing happens fast in this business,” Jurcevich says.

That’s the puzzle Couch now confronts after spending some 22 years in Mizuno’s golf business, where he crafted many of the strategies – the creation of the Global Golf Product Development Team and the development of the Mizuno PFS fitting cart initiative among them – that allowed Mizuno to grow irons dollar market share more than 45 percent from 2008-2016 and battle significant market headwinds aroused by the Great Recession.

“What Mizuno running was going through wasn’t foreign to what we saw in golf,” says Couch, a Mizuno lifer who began with the company’s Atlanta-based U.S. unit more than 23 years ago in a customer support role.

That correlation inspired Couch to walk into the office of then-Mizuno USA president Bob Puccini in early 2016 and ask for the chance to lead Mizuno’s domestic running efforts.

“I wanted this opportunity,” says Couch, a runner himself. “I felt I had a formula that worked and I knew we had great product and could rebuild this with longevity in mind.”

To be certain, Couch and Mizuno aren’t chasing the impossible and there is precedent for once-sluggish brands to regroup and find a new stride, albeit in time.

Current channel leader Brooks, for instance, was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2001 before CEO Jim Weber led a turnaround focused on creating compelling product and appealing to influencers, including run shops, while New Balance boasts fresh vitality that has garnered © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

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Mizuno on the Move (continued)

“The sales team is charged to work in stores as if they are employees of the store, getting shoes on people’s feet rather than just filling a retail door with product.”

CHUCK COUCH, MIZUNO

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the Boston-based brand a new generation of fans and market share.

Those are turnarounds Mizuno is now looking to replicate with a series of savvy, customer-focused initiatives and enticing product.

An optimistic soul who speaks quick and with undeniable enthusiasm and intent, Couch will need every bit of that positive energy along with healthy doses of persistence and patience – because, yes, nothing happens overnight – to reset and recharge Mizuno’s running business.

He is, first and foremost, a “culture” guy.

He believes people drive results, particularly so when they are given a clear long-term vision and purpose. His rallying cry, one people across the Mizuno running enterprise can repeat, is for Mizuno to be the absolute most essential and absolute most reliable running brand.

To that end, Couch has reconstructed Mizuno’s sales force to be more dynamic and responsive to its channel partners. The sales team, he says, is charged to work in stores as if they are employees of the store, getting shoes on people’s feet rather than just filling a retail door with product.

Furthermore, Couch promises improved operations, including greater synergy between Mizuno and its factory partners, and a more thoughtful go-to-market strategy that factors in the calendar, collateral, pricing and more.

“I want to earn share,” he says.

Couch is also a “product is king” guy, too, and knows Mizuno is capable of offering quality goods. Its track record proves as much: the Breath Thermo apparel line introduced some of the most innovative gear in the run specialty marketplace; the Wave Rider, now in its 20th edition, has a legion of loyal fans; and the company’s running footwear regularly scores honors from major industry outlets.

He promises retailers and consumers alike a constant flow of product innovation from Mizuno, much of it fueled by the company’s fledgling Running Center for Excellence in Portland, OR. Mizuno continues adding talent and resources to that operation, which handles all footwear design, testing and colorization

before handing the baton to the supply chain.

“The world is driven by innovation and they’re the leaders in that,” Couch says of the Running Center team directed by Todd Lewis, a former All-American runner at Arizona State who joined Mizuno in 2015 after nearly 20 years at Nike and Columbia Sportswear.

On a promising note, two of the brand’s most recent releases – the Wave Horizon and the Wave Sky – have scored early buzz in the high-end ($140+) footwear category, a segment responsible for less than 4 percent of Mizuno’s sales in the channel last year, according to Sports Marketing Surveys USA. (Yet more, only one of every 50 shoes priced $140 or above sold in the channel carry the Mizuno logo.)

The Wave Horizon, in particular, a model built to challenge channel stalwarts like the ASICS Kayano and Saucony Hurricane, has captured results at both Performance Running Outfitters and the Columbus Running Company.

“I don’t know if I’ve had one person put the Wave Horizon on and not like it,” Hoepner says, adding that Mizuno might have the most loyal fans in the channel, a definite plus if it can offer “sexy” product and generate trials.

Finding success with its new models while continuing to hit on the Wave Rider and Wave Inspire is absolutely central to Mizuno’s channel resurgence, Jurcevich contends.

“Until they can get up to the 4-6 SKU count, they’re going to be stuck in that 5-6 spot,” he says.

Understanding the long road ahead, Couch remains encouraged especially when paired with solid results for the Wave Rider 20. He says run specialty accounts are booking new products and providing spirited feedback that he and his team are taking to heart.

“We’re already getting wins,” he says.

Building on that momentum, especially in the today’s fast-changing retail landscape, won’t be easy, but Couch insists he and his team are up for the fight and eager to show running stores that Mizuno product is necessary to their existence.

“We want to be that essential and if we’re not viewed that way yet, then we’re going to earn that,” he says. n © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Seizing the Children’s Market A happy customer at Lively Athletics.

market, which he continues to view as a driver of both repeat business and new traffic for Running Central. This year, in fact, White will be doubling down on Running Central’s youth business, expanding the store’s current kid’s zone into a flex space at the front of his store to provide the area added square footage and visibility.

“We want to create an even higher level of experience for the parents and children,” White says. “Face it: a lot of our customers are parents and they are choosing to come to Running Central for service. If they know they can get that same service for their kids, we like to think it’s a no-brainer.”

Across the country, other running retailers are similarly investing in youth product, eager to leverage the channel’s existing core competencies – namely, expertise and customer service – to broaden their customer base and counter the channel’s doldrums.

Getting into the children’s game

By Daniel P. Smith

I

n spring 2013, a full year before Running Central opened its new 20,000-square foot space in downtown Peoria, IL, owner Adam White began laying the foundation for an expanded children’s business.

A father himself, White saw the evaporation of the sit-and-fit experience for children and thought his knowledgeable, customer-centric team at Running Central could transfer its fitting skills from adults to children and, in the process, drive new revenue for the operation. So White invested in some additional kids’ inventory and a steep learning curve commenced.

“It was absolutely baptism by fire for us,” White admits.

After four years and much reflection on how to best service the youth demographic, White remains bullish on the children’s

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Last fall, Oklahoma-based Red Coyote Running and Fitness took a deeper dive into children’s footwear after six years of only dabbling in the category. Jon Beck, who owns the shop with his wife, Burke, brought in nearly 20 youth footwear SKUs and then showcased the inventory on a table between the men’s and women’s footwear walls. He also stocked the table with Red Coyote-branded children’s tees and trucker hats.

Sales of youth products weren’t incredible, but certainly enough, reports Beck, adding that customers appreciated the opportunity to get quality footwear alongside knowledgeable, attentive service, a rare find in the children’s footwear marketplace and something on parents’ minds given increasing discussion about footwear’s role in a healthy foot.

“We honestly don’t know where the limit is, but it was a good first foray for us and we believe it has potential to grow,” Beck says of the children’s market, adding that youth footwear offers

© 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Children’s Market (continued)

Getting the right fit at Running Central.

decent margins without the headaches of constantly changing models and colors. “Our goal is to capture the child and get them thinking that Red Coyote is the place they go for shoes.”

Like Red Coyote, Lively Athletics in Oak Park, IL, launched a more aggressive children’s play last fall, pairing 34 youth footwear SKUs with a specific kids space adorned with a long jump mat, stepping stones, a play pop-up camper and coloring sheets featuring footwear.

“We listen closely to our customers and this is something they were asking for,” says Lively Athletics co-owner Anne Pezalla, whose expansion into the children’s market was aided by a small business grant from Goldman Sachs that provided six weeks of intense classes, mentorship and the push to complete a business growth plan centered on children’s product.

Pezalla calls Lively’s first year in the kid’s market a profitable one – and that’s before factoring in the ancillary boost it provided to other areas of the store.

“Inevitably, the mom shopping for her kid’s shoes would find a scarf or something small for herself,” says Pezalla, who likes having another revenue stream and a more diverse product mix in the three-year-old store.

Finding a groove

Of course, finding success in the children’s market is far from easy. Youth inventory doesn’t turn as often and traffic can be seasonal, largely tied to the back-to-school season. Yet more, atonce availability with children’s footwear is limited.

“If you want reliability, it has to be futures,” White says.

Bringing in new inventory, meanwhile, can be costly, even 12

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risky. At Running Central, for example, White opened in 2014 with dress shoes, boots, sandals and athletic shoes, intentionally attempting to mimic a Nordstrom.

“I wanted to show we had all the solutions,” White says.

Turn rates, however, were slow and White learned an expensive lesson. Today, he largely favors athletic silhouettes and only tinkers in other options. Still, his children’s area features roughly 200 footwear SKUs from more than a half-dozen brands, including Nike, New Balance, Stride Rite and Step & Stride.

“Over time and by tracking sell through, we’ve become better buyers stocking the appropriate solutions,” White says.

With the inventory in hand, stores also face persistent marketing challenges.

White assumed Running Central’s lively kid’s zone – a colorful area featuring a television, tabletop games and “Walter the Sheep,” an oversized stuffed animal – would speak for itself. Yet even after aggressively advertising kid’s footwear, he was shocked to see how many customers remained unaware.

“We’re constantly letting people know the solutions exist,” he says.

White’s worked to counter that with a unique mix of initiatives designed to heighten awareness. He’s crafted partnerships with local pediatricians and family doctors; hosts bi-monthly shoe-tying clinics; created the RC Fast Cat mascot to attend community and school events; launched a youth fun run series; and established a trade-up and donation program to encourage repeat visits.

It’s been a laborious, multi-pronged effort and White confesses he’s “still working on the profitability of the [children’s] department.” Even so, he sold 6,500 pairs of youth shoes in 2016.

“Any way you look at it, that’s a lot of bodies coming in the store,” he says. “For stores with the appetite, space and reputation, the kid’s business is something to look at thoughtfully.” n

A successful youth business can be a key driver of repeat customers.

© 2017 Formula4media LLC.

BY TOM GRIFFEN

CINNAMON

What My Hairdresser Taught Me About Customer Service.

W

hen I was younger, no matter who cut my hair or what style they tried on me, it wasn’t long before my mop turned back into something to make Weird Al Yankovic jealous. The passing of years, however, has presented me with a case of—well, let’s call it “follicular attrition.”

Enter Cinnamon. My hairdresser. Twenty-year veteran and expert in her field. Each time I visit I say the same thing, “I know I’m thinning up there, and I’m OK with it. So please do whatever it takes to keep me from looking like I’m not.”

“Please keep me from looking like Peter Frampton,” I usually say, though I don’t really know what the aging rocker looks like.

Cinnamon assures me things are not as bad as they seem.

I use the giant mirror to scrutinize a widening divot on the crown of my head.

“I’ll let you know when we need to do something drastic,” she says. I trust this massage of my vanity.

Over the years Cinnamon has learned a lot about me. Every time I sit down in her chair, Cinnamon asks probing questions, and I blab on and on about who-knows-what, far more than usual. I’ve shared my relationship details, job drama, political affiliation, and so much more. And guess what—I’m strangely OK with it.

When I started my own customer service training business, Cinnamon was one of the first to hear about it. Mostly because she’s also fascinated by the dynamics of customer service. She tells me that after two decades of cutting hair, she’s mastered the art of a truly unforgettable experience. When she tells me this, I nod like I am also in on the secret. But what she says next makes my head explode.

“In my industry, customers return for their connection with 14

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the hairdresser,” she says. “Getting a good haircut is mostly a bonus.”

“Wait—hold up,” I say as she meets my eyes in the mirror.

“Are you telling me that the sole purpose of your business, the haircut itself, is actually a second priority?”

“Yes,” she said. “That’s exactly right.”

My mind starts racing. I begin manically comparing her industry to mine, specialty run. I start mumbling questions aloud: “What if specialty run followed the same model as hair salons? What if there were as many run stores as there are hair salons in a square mile? What would run retailers have to do to motivate customers to drive past five, ten, maybe more comparable shops to get their business?”

I am reeling.

Cinnamon, as always, listens intently. She answers my final question as if the answer is undeniable.

“Just do this,” she says, spreading her arms wide. “It’s easy.

Get to know people. Like, for real.”

Cinnamon then says that she’s going to keep a little length on the top. Edge up the sides and shave my neck beard. I agree to everything.

“By the way,” she says smugly. “I happen to do both—I can banter and give a kick ass haircut. I’ve got more customers than my schedule can accommodate.”

“Good problem to have,” I say, still wide-eyed.

“Yep,” she says. Then she unsnaps my cape and tells me I’m all set. Although I’m ready to leave, I want to talk some more. n

Tom Griffen is a former running store owner who now runs a retail training business. He will be speaking this year at The Running Event in Austin. © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Training Partners Lydiard Foundation president Lorraine Moller leading a recent training clinic at the Gazelle Sports store in Grand Rapids, MI.

Michigan running stores Gazelle Sports and Running Lab link up with Lydiard Foundation and Detroit Free Press/ Chemical Bank Marathon to offer personalized training programs.

By Daniel P. Smith

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I

n a perhaps first-of-its-kind partnership between run specialty stores and a prominent U.S. running event, a pair of Michigan-based independent running shops have teamed with the Lydiard Foundation and the Detroit Free Press/ Chemical Bank Marathon to offer participants personalized training programs for the event’s marathon, half marathon and 5k races.

Through the partnership, the five-store Gazelle Sports chain and Running Lab of Brighton, MI, will provide Lydiard certified coaches and lead group runs, functioning as the hands-on, high-touch complement to the Lydiard Foundation’s Running Wizard digital platform that delivers highly personalized training programs to runners based on their individual fitness level, history, health and goals as well as the prized principles of the late distance running guru Arthur Lydiard.

“The combination of the human relationship through our group training program and the tech backend that the Lydiard Foundation provides is what really excites here,” Gazelle

Sports co-founder Chris Lampen-Crowell says.

Upon registering for the full marathon distance in Detroit, for example, participants have the option to pay $130 for their personalized Lydiard program, which also includes training with local community members and the certified Lydiard coaches at any of the six participating Michigan-based running stores. Gazelle and Running Lab each receive a portion of that fee based on the number of participants involved in their respective programs.

Lydiard Foundation president Lorraine Moller, the 1984 Boston Marathon champion and a bronze medallist at the 1992 Olympic Games in the women’s marathon, calls the involvement of Gazelle Sports and Running Lab central to the initiative.

“We know the training program we offer is special, but it’s also a lot of information coming at someone,” Moller says. “We need people to distill information and convey it to runners and that’s the vital role the coaches at these running shops play.” © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Training Partners (continued) “When people are a part of one of our training programs, we see that the amount they spend in our store goes way up.”

KEN LARSCHEID RUNNING LAB

Though the Running Lab, located about 45 miles west of downtown Detroit, had an existing fall marathon training program, owner Ken Larscheid says he was ready to pivot, especially when given an opportunity to ride the Detroit Marathon’s marketing and PR efforts. He hopes his store’s involvement will boost its overall training program numbers and heighten sales at the Running Lab, where past participants in the store’s training programs spent roughly $300 during their involvement in the program.

“When people are a part of one of our training programs, we see that the amount they spend in our store goes way up, so any way we can bring more people into our training program is a good thing,” Larscheid says.

While Gazelle has cultivated a robust following for its training programs over the last two decades, Lampen-Crowell is betting that the Lydiard Foundation and its proven, high-tech tools will help differentiate Gazelle

Sports’ training programs from others in the marketplace while also putting a fresh spin on his company’s longstanding programs.

“If you’re not changing and willing to be ahead of the curve, then you can die,” LampenCrowell says, acknowledging that change is “uncomfortable and risky.”

Though a pilot effort that will almost certainly need to be refined, Lampen-Crowell has high hopes for what a partnership like this could mean for his store and the entire run specialty channel’s potential to align with other marquee U.S. races.

“As I see it, we’re definitely better when we’re working together, learning best practices and showcasing our strengths,” says LampenCrowell, a former Independent Running Retailers Association president. “This type of partnership is something that can help get people into our channel, which is the real infrastructure of the running community.” n

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© 2017 Formula4media LLC.

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Peak udventure lo C e th rs, . And d for race me down s and bre must co in p u ta e n s u e th o o m while What g rn in the e ascent, faster. Bo ms for th ra even more g s in d a does both e s you g pper sh lp u e t h hoe h g le li o r s petition s ning its supe t trail com hill-cushio h n m ig w o e o .c d tw g h d the lig -runnin patente cent. It’s times. on s r e u d o y e r th e w time on me and lo e your ga that’ll rais

Fleet Feet Sports Hires Brent Hollowell Left: New Fleet Feet Sports VP Brent Hollowell.

New VP of Marketing and Vendor Management

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B

rent Hollowell is joining Fleet Feet Sports as vice president of marketing and vendor management. This is a new role at the running store group, although it includes some of the responsibilities previously handled by Luke Rowe, who left the company last year and is now at CEP Sports.

Hollowell is a respected industry veteran with 25 years of experience. He was most recently at Nathan Sports and previously had worked at Adidas America and Foot Locker. He was also one of the first vendor executives ever selected for the Running Industry Association board. His experience as both a retailer and brand marketing executive will come into play in his new role. “I believe strongly in the run specialty channel or I would never be taking on this role,” Hollowell tells Running Insight.

Hollowell started his career on the retail floor at Foot Locker in Dallas, Texas, in 1986, and went through the brand’s management-training program to become a store manager in 1987.

From 1990-1995, working as vice president of marketing out of the brand’s New York City headquarters, Hollowell led the positioning efforts of the Foot Locker brand while creating

marketing and vendor relationship program. He eventually earned a promotion to vice president of global marketing.

Hollowell will lead all efforts for both the marketing and vendor management departments from the brand’s headquarters in Carrboro, with department heads reporting directly to him. Hollowell inherits the reins to the brand’s vendor partner program, which originated in 2003 with New Balance and now includes 17 brands, as well as the direction and strategy for the brand’s national marketing efforts. He officially begins June 12.

“There is no retailer in the country better poised to emerge from these interesting times in a stronger position than Fleet Feet Sports,” says Hollowell. “Fleet Feet Sports’ past and present offer the brightest examples of what this industry has to offer to people, and that is passion poured in to life-changing products and experiences. There will always be a demand for that, and I look forward to working with the incredible team at Fleet Feet Sports to continue building upon the many amazing initiatives this brand and these owners have already achieved.”

Hollowell previously served as director of marketing and retail marketing at Adidas America and was instrumental in the execution of strategies and programs that helped drive the rapid growth experienced from 1995-2001.

During his tenure, he also assumed responsibility for the retail division, including 35 outlet and three inline stores, as well as adidas.com.

A life-long runner who has crossed the finish lines at both the Marine Corps and New York City marathons, Hollowell completed his first 50K this year in March.

Hollowell Hollowell earned his brings 25 Bachelor of Science deyears of gree in advertising from retail and the University of Texas. marketing and his wife, Rebecexperience He ca, have two children—a to newlyson, Garrett (17), and a created role. daughter, Tyler (16). © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

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Fleet Feet (continued)

Fleet Feet Sports Opens Up in Poughkeepsie

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With the addition of the Poughkeepsie location, Fleet Feet Sports now has nine locations in New York.

Above right: Kim Caruso, owner, Fleet Feet Sports, Poughkeepsie, NY.

leet Feet Sports has a new franchise location in upstate New York. The store is owned by Kim Caruso, a lifelong resident of New York and graduate of Poughkeepsie’s Marist College. The store opened on May 18th in The Shoppes at South Hills at 1895 South Road in Poughkeepsie.

Caruso grew up in Wappinger Falls, NY. After graduating from Marist College with a degree in marketing, Caruso spent the next two decades building a successful career in television advertising and market research.

A passionate runner, Caruso saw an opportunity to mix her professional experience with her personal passion, and bring a running resource to her hometown area.

Caruso says the store will launch its first

running programs in mid-June. A halfmarathon training program will lead up to the Dutchess County Classic in September.

She expects to employ about six full-time positions with additional part-time opportunities available.

A grand opening celebration is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4. Events will include a ribbon cutting on June 2 at noon.

The store will offer raffles and discounts all weekend, and select vendors will demo products.

With the addition of the Poughkeepsie location, Fleet Feet Sports has a total of nine locations in New York: Albany, Buffalo, Clay, Malta, Plattsburgh, two locations in Rochester, and Syracuse. Fleet Feet now has 165 stores in 38 states. n

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Outdoor Trade Show Shakeup The Outdoor Retailer trade show is combining with the SIA Snow Show, and will move from its Salt Lake City location.

E

merald Expositions Events, owners of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, has acquired the SIA Snow Show for $16.7 million from SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the snow sports trade group.

The two shows will consolidate this winter, with the first Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show slated to be held in January, 2018. It’s expected, though with dates not yet officially confirmed, that the January 2018 combined show will take place in Denver, CO. It will be the largest outdoor and winter sports industry gathering in North America.

Merging the two January shows, which serve similar markets, will bring the outdoor and snow sports industries together under one roof, with more than 500,000 square feet of space.

Outdoor Retailer show dates and details beyond winter 2018 have not yet been made officially available. This July’s Outdoor Retailer summer show could be the final

one in Salt Lake City. The OR show was under contract to host two shows in 2018 in Utah, but organizers have already said they would leave Salt Lake City after 2018 and would consider leaving earlier. (Meanwhile, the Snow Show earlier this year inked an 11-year deal to keep that event in Colorado through 2030.)

Outdoor Retailer spokeswoman Kate Lowery told Utah’s Deseret News this week that no final decision has been made about a host city for the summer 2018 show.

The shakeup comes after months of turmoil surrounding the Outdoor Retailer trade show, which stated its intention to relocate from Salt Lake City after a conflict of views regarding public lands issues. Utah Governor Gary Herbert supports rescinding former President Barack Obama’s decision to create Bears Ears National Monument, which protects it from commercial exploitation.

The Bears Ears issue had led to several major brands including Patagonia and Arc’teryx to withdraw from the twice-a-year OR Show in Salt Lake City. n

Industry Execs Make a Case for Denver

E

arlier this week, a group of outdoor industry executives released a statement regarding Outdoor Retailer, and their hope that the show’s future location would be Denver. A portion of the letter is below: “As executive leaders of outdoor industry companies, with no direct economic stake in the result, we believe it’s important to make a clear case that for the long term health, and perhaps survival, of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, the process to determine the next home of the show must lead to Denver.

Trade shows are notoriously fragile. The past is littered with juggernaut shows that became victims of their success or structural changes in their industries.

The SuperShow, Comdex, MAGIC, Action Sports Retailer, are all famous examples of shows that are either extinct or withered ghosts of their glory days. In our case, Outdoor Retailer faces the serious threat of a rapidly changing retail landscape putting tremendous pressure on profitability. Every player in our industry faces a serious question whether it’s truly worth the enormous investment of time and money to attend the show each year.

The state of Colorado and the city of Denver have put together an aggressive package of economic incentives and their facilities are big 24

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enough to contain a vibrant show of exhibitors who are truly relevant to our consumers. Workable dates are available.

On the other hand, if the motivation to maximize short term economics drives the result to larger venues in places like Las Vegas, we seriously question the long term viability of the show both as a place where exhibitors have a strong incentive to participate and as a valuable asset for the show producers and the Outdoor Industry Association. There are many alternatives to participating in an expensive and time consuming show that falls at the end of the booking season. It would be foolhardy indeed to create additional reasons for participants to re-consider their options. Denver is unique on the current list of possible venues in having both a central travel hub as well as the outdoor recreation assets vital to the formula that has made the show so successful during its tenure in Utah.

We hope the decision makers involved will make the smart choice to maximize value by minimizing risk and place the show where it has the best chance to flourish for the long run.”

Execs signing the letter included: Beaver Theodosakis, founder of PrAna; Kim Miller, CEO of SCARPA North America, Inc.; Dan Nordstrom, CEO of Outdoor Research; Casey Sheahan, president of Keen Footwear and Dawson Wheeler, founder of Rock Creek Outfitters. n © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

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Running Shorts “Chris has a proven track record of success, and the accomplishments of the Western Europe team under his leadership is the most recent example.”

MATT O’TOOLE, REEBOK PRESIDENT

Chris Froio, newly appointed GM, Reebok America.

Chris Froio Appointed GM Reebok America

Longtime Reebok exec Chris Froio has been appointed General Manager, Reebok America. Froio will lead the brand’s effort to grow its business in the critical U.S. market. He will report to Reebok President Matt O’Toole.

A 25-year Reebok veteran, Froio was most recently Reebok Brand Director in Western Europe. Under his leadership, Western Europe became the brand’s fastest growing market. Prior to 26

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this position, Froio was the Head of Reebok’s Training business unit. In his new role, Froio will be responsible for Reebok’s U.S. Retail and Wholesale organizations, and will lead the brand’s effort to grow its business in the U.S. market. He has been with Reebok since 1992.

“Chris has a proven track record of success, and the accomplishments of the Western Europe team under his leadership – nearly doubling the business - is the most recent example,” said Matt O’Toole, Reebok

President. “Chris’ leadership qualities, combined with his deep understanding of the Reebok brand, our consumer and the U.S. retail landscape, make him uniquely qualified for this critical position.”

Rechner Named President of Merrell

Wolverine Worldwide has appointed Sue Rechner to the position of president of the Merrell brand. Rechner will report directly to the Wolverine Outdoor and Lifestyle Group President, Todd Spaletto, who recently

joined the company from The North Face.

Rechner has over 25 years of global brand building experience with the majority spent in the outdoor industry.

For the past 10 years, she has been the CEO and president of Confluence Outdoor, a manufacturer of kayaks, canoes and paddle sport accessories. Prior to leading Confluence Outdoor, she was the president and director for Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. and concurrently held the position of global CEO for the time piece and apparel © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

COME EXPERIENCE THE COMFORT AT THE FLEET FEET CONVENTION - BOOTH #5

Running Shorts (continued) divisions of Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. Hoka One One Hits Key Milestone

For the first time, the Hoka One One brand has surpassed $100 million in annual revenues. The earnings for the 12 months ended March 31, included 33 percent growth in the fourth quarter, and the brand is looking for more. Parent Deckers Outdoor is forecasting 20-25 percent growth for Hoka One One this fiscal year as the company increases marketing spend around the label to drive brand awareness in the run specialty channel and further globally in the key markets of the United Kingdom, Germany as its begin hitting the ground in China.

Deckers Outdoor CEO Dave Powers recently told analysts about the company’s

strategy to re-direct some corporate resources to Hoka, which captured 18 awards last year, to fuel the brand’s expansion. Deckers’ overall plans to hit $2 billion in annual revenues centers on its UGG and HOKA brands.

Last fiscal year, DECK’s overall revenues slid 4.5 percent to $1.79 billion.

TomTom Sports App Updates Sync Options

TomTom’s updated Sports app has more sync options.

Following on the heels of the recent launch of the new TomTom Sports app, TomTom (TOM2) has added an update to the app allowing users to import data from Google Fit and Apple Health to their account. As a result, users can continuously track their activity data and see trends, insights and daily summaries in the TomTom Sports app, even without a TomTom Sports wearable.

The update allows

anyone to import their daily activity data from Google Fit (Android) or Apple Health (iOS). This includes steps, active time, distance and calories. The app provides motivational messages, activity trends and comparisons, performance stats, social sharing functions.

For more information, go to tomtom.com/sportsapp or watch the video: https:// youtu.be/KoJ5tyJsi7o.

Hoka One One has raced past the $100 million mark in annual revenues.

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Darn Tough Announces Professional Ambassador Program

Sock brand Darn Tough Vermont has unveiled its new professional ambassador program, Team DTV, welcoming 15 athletes and adventurers to the Darn Tough family.

“Over the last 13 years of rapid growth, we’ve welcomed so many people to our ever growing Darn Tough community. After reviewing hundreds of applications for Team DTV, we are excited to welcome these 15 amazing individuals to the family.

Each of them are stewards of the outdoors in their own way, they embody our beliefs, and most importantly they are simply great people who are relatable with inspiring stories,” says Courtney Laggner, Marketing Manager at Darn Tough Vermont.

Joining Team DTV is Allie Rood, Brooke Froelich, Coree Woltering, Eric Sensemen, Fawn Dorr, Jeremy Wolf, Josh Ferenc, Megan McJames, Neely Fortune, Noah Tautfest, Ralph Kucharek, Sasha Yakovleff, Stevie Anna, Vasu © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Running Shorts (continued) Sojitra, and Zeb Blais.

Icebug to Host Third Annual Xperience Race

Icebug announced it will be hosting the third annual Icebug Xperience race on the Southeastern Swedish coast from August 31st to September 3rd. The “Xperience” is an event where runners and walkers explore 75 kilometers of changing coastal landscape over the course of three days. The brand expects an increasing number of international participants at the event, which will take place in Bohuslän, Sweden.

The purpose of Icebug Xperience is to show people something new and give them a completely unique race experience. Participants walk and/or run over varying terrain featuring windswept granite coastline, tranquil forests, open fields with the occasional sheep and picturesque small towns and farms.

The stages will take participants through forest, smooth red granite slabs, unique stone quarries and small fishing villages.

Registration is now open. For more information, visit http:// icebug.com/icebugx/.

National Trails Day Set for June 3rd

On Saturday, June 3rd, people across America are invited outside for a fun trail experience during American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day. On National Trails Day, people are encouraged to 30

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Participants in the Icebug Xperience race.

hike, bike, paddle, pitch in on some trail maintenance, or do any of the other numerous fun activities that will have them sweating and smiling.

From urban parks to remote wildlands and everywhere in between, National Trails Day is getting Americans off the couch and on the trail!

Learn more about National Trails Day and find a local event at NationalTrailsDay.org ASICS Challenge Raises Dollars for PHIT America

Leading up to Global Running Day on June 7th, ASICS is challenging

nationwide participants to run a total of 60 minutes anytime between May 30th and June 6th. By doing so, ASICS will donate $1 to PHIT America in their honor. PHIT stands for Personal Health Investment Today. Its mission is to dramatically improve the health of Americans, especially children, by implementing pro-activity programs.

To participate in the ASICS Global Running Week Challenge, download the Runkeeper app on your smart phone, visit the challenges section of the app to join, and

log 60 minutes of activity between May 30th and June 6th to trigger a $1 donation to PHIT America.

Superfeet Taps Chuck Sanson as Director of Business Development

Superfeet is adding to its executive team, with Chuck Sanson appointed as director of business development.

Focusing on Superfeet’s new technologies, Sanson will create strategies and growth initiatives for the brand’s digital products, including the new custom 3D printed insoles. © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

FEEL THE FLOATRIDE REEBOK.COM/FLOATRIDE © 2017 Reebok International Limited. All Rights Reserved. REEBOK is a registered trademark of Reebok International Limited.

Runner’s World is a registered trademark of Rodale, Inc. All rights reserved.

Running Shorts (continued)

Lindsey Vonn

Celebrating 40 years, the Superfeet brand and product offerings continue to expand along with its talent pool, with the recent announcement of five newly appointed executive team members in February.

Sanson’s role will include seeking out new channels for Superfeet’s technology and custom products.

Prior to joining Superfeet, Sanson worked with Pearl Izumi USA for 15 years, most recently as director of run.

TheraBand Goes for Gold with Lindsey Vonn

Performance Health announced that Olympic Gold Medalist skier Lindsey Vonn is a new brand ambassador for TheraBand, part of the Performance Health family of brands. No stranger to physical therapy and overcoming obstacles, Vonn has utilized TheraBand’s elastic resistance, 32

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rehab and exercise products when recovering from injuries, while relentlessly training, and even when warming up for races throughout her career.

The most decorated woman in the history of alpine skiing, Vonn has gold medals from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2009 World Championships, as well as the all-time women’s World Cup record for career wins. She has also faced setbacks due to injury, including two knee ligament tears that derailed her plans to compete in the 2014 Sochi games and, most recently, a broken arm sustained while training. With the all-time World Cup record and 2018 Olympics on the horizon, Vonn is once again working to achieve her goal of reaching the podium.

“I use TheraBand in pretty much everything I do with rehab and training,” says

Vonn. “If you walk into any Physical Therapist’s office you find a million TheraBand products all over the place, and everyone uses them for a reason…because they work!

It’s just part of my routine now.

Whether I’m coming back from injury or not, we use the products for maintenance, and not just recovery, but also for core and stability training or using muscles that you aren’t normally using when you do some of the heavier weighted exercises.”

Mission Signs Actress Steinfeld to Promote New Women’s Line

Mission, the performance apparel and accessories brand with a focus on temperature control technologies, signed Oscar-nominated actress and multi-platinum recording artist Hailee Steinfeld as the face and spokesperson of its newly

launched women’s line.

Mission aims to expose the brand to a more lifestylefocused audience and fuel the brand’s goal to be at the center of sports, science and style.

“As a high-performance athletic brand, we look for partners who embody our same ethos, our same focus and our same maniacal commitment to winning, and Hailee truly embodies each one of those qualities in her life,” says Josh Shaw, founder and CEO of Mission. “Hailee is exceptional at her craft and truly an athlete in life at every level. From singing to acting to modeling, she lives an incredibly active, highperformance lifestyle and she knows the critical importance of balancing her work, life and fitness. I couldn’t be more excited to have Hailee join the team!”

The new Mission women’s © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

Running Shorts (continued) apparel line features more than 15 unique designs including training shirts, training shorts, sports bras, performance leggings and a full range of tops, bottoms and compression styles.

New Profile-Lite Breeze from Amphipod

Amphipod’s new ultralight Profile-Lite Breeze Pack design ergonomically integrates two low-profile Hydraform bottles, a phone and nutrition with the body, eliminating bounce while providing easy on–the-go access.

The large expandable zipper-pocket features

Amphipod Profile-Lite Breeze Pack

strategic-stretch panels allowing it to house the largest phones, nutrition and even a light shell. An additional outer pocket and

outside attachments for gel packs makes getting to essentials a snap. The signature AirFlow mesh back panel eliminates hot-spots

and adds to the comfortable and breathable feel of the pack.

The new ultralight design is engineered with Amphipod’s new AirStretch Grypton belt, which aims to “fool physics” by eliminating bounce, and remaining in place and lowon-the-hips even when paired with the slickest of shorts or running tights.

The proprietary engineered TPU cage design actively grips Amphipod’s signature low-profile Hydraform bottles while also providing easy single-handed bottle access.

The suggested retail price is $60. n

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Karnan Associates Strengthens Team Run specialty retail consultant Parker Karnan has added to his staff.

M

idge Good, of Naperville Running Company (NRC) and Jay Pandya of Running Away Multisport (RAM, now Fleet Feet Deerfield) will join Karnan Associates in June.

Good brings fifteen years of front-end, employee training and human resource experience to KA. Originally hired as a sales associate, Good most recently served as General Manager of NRC. “In her new job, she will be able to positively affect many of our fellow running specialty stores in ways that will help strengthen and grow their business just like she did at NRC over the last 14 years,” says Kris Hartner, owner NRC. Jay Pandya, former General Manager of RAM will bring his operational expertise on both the practical and analytical level to Karnan Associates. “I’ve seen Jay in action, he has a knack for identifying business leaks and plugging them up. He continuously looks for a bet-

Parker Karnan

ter way,” says Karnan.

Founded in 2006, Karnan Associates is a consulting firm tailored to the Specialty Running Industry

by Parker Karnan, veteran industry consultant and former Independent Running Retailer Association executive director. Last year, KA added a division, Future Track, which offers more in-depth services for selected retail stores committed to collaboration and long-term sustainability for their local business and the specialty running channel.

“Store owners often tell me that finding, developing, and keeping talent is one of the greatest needs for their business. We need to make sure that our team meets these needs for our clients and Future Track retailers. Midge’s track record and passion for developing people and Jay’s game-time problem solving ability will have a positive impact on our industry,” says Karnan. n

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New Thinking

Strategies and Tactics for the Future of Running Stores

SPONSORS The 3rd Annual

SUMMIT

June 13, 2017: The Hyatt Pier 66, Ft Lauderdale seminars / workshops / networking / Spring ‘18 product presentations

The Running Industry Association Summit is expected to attract 100+ running store owners and executives.

This year’s RIA Summit will feature an array of programming with a central theme: How should specialty retailers curate their product assortments to meet the evolving needs and expectations of today’s customer?

Our goal for this year’s Summit is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and strategies and to provide tangible tools to attendees. We’ll start with a review of the latest consumer market research to help us gain a better understanding of who your customers are and what they want. The program will then shift to an interactive session, with real world examples of how your retail peers are using differentiated brands and products to create new and loyal customer followings. We’ll close the loop by showing attendees how to use analytics to help them make and assess their assortment strategies. Finally, the Summit will provide access to our brand partners, who will showcase products that reflect the day’s conversation.

12 DAY COUNTDOWN! RIA RETAIL MEMBERS: $149 / NON-MEMBERS: $295 Includes breakfast, lunch, cocktail reception and admission to the sportstyle trade show.

Contact Mark Sullivan: msullivan@formula4media.com Jeff Nott: jnott@formula4media.com Troy Leonard: tleonard@formula4media.com, or your account executive

sportstyleshow.com/ria/ria-summit.html

REGISTER TODAY! CLICK HERE