Detroit has lots of runners. The annual Free Press marathon drew in about 24,000 last year, the annual
Corktown Race (held before the Corktown Parade, coming up this Sunday) attracts over 5,000, and even smaller races attract a big crowd. Yes, Detroit has lots of runners, but the one thing it doesn’t have is a running store.
Until now.
Run Detroit is set to open this spring inside
Willys Overland Lofts in Midtown. Owners Justin Craig and Alia Polsgrove are both runners themselves (which is how the couple met) and recognized the needs for a running store in the city.
"There are just a lot of runners in Detroit," says Craig. "There are a lot of people who live here and work here but there’s nowhere to shop. We kept hearing the same thing from people (about the lack of retail options)."
Craig, a Seattle native, managed a running store out there. He and Polsgrove, who is originally from Michigan, visited Detroit last summer for a race. They had been kicking around the idea of opening a running store and saw the space at Willys, so they made contact with the
DeMattia Group (the developers of the building) and from there things moved quickly. They sold their house and moved to Detroit.
The store will act as a community hub for runners offering apparel (fashionable brands that "look good but also perform well"), accessories, and expertise. "We will make sure you get the best shoe for you," Craig says. "We will offer superior customer care to get people comfortable, with a lot of advice and tips to help people along the way to reach their goals but stay healthy while doing it."
The 1,300-square-foot space will be an open space with hardwood floors, exposed brick, comfortable seating, and plenty of natural lighting. Buildout is on schedule and they expect to open in April.
Source: Justin Craig, co-owner of Run Detroit
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg
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