Usually when I drive to the gym to teach my Friday 5:30 a.m. Lift class, it's a solitary drive in the dark. This past Friday was a little different. It was Black Friday.
I've never actually participated in this newly crowned holiday out of simple fear. I watch the news. People trampling people for televisions, video cameras, even dolls. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men has no place in Walmart the day after Thanksgiving.
Even the milder scenarios don't appeal much to me. I am fairly certain that hell isn't a fiery inferno. It is actually an overcrowded, large-chain retail store with picked-over products and screaming children on Thanksgiving weekend.
No, instead I participated in Small Business Saturday. It's a great opportunity to support local businesses that offer knowledge, support, community and customer service that is often lacking in larger retailers.
My local store of choice is our own Wasatch Running Center in Sandy, Utah, but there are many, including the Salt Lake Running Company, 26.2 Running Company, St. George Running Center, Striders, Runner's Corner, Peak Performance and Runners North. No, they aren't giving me a free pair of shoes to write this. They don't have to. What they give to the community is enough.
First, local running stores like Wasatch Running employ staff who love running as much as their customers. Many have competed at high levels and can offer their expertise to novices and veterans alike.
Their knowledge of running goes beyond the sport and runs into the products they sell. I went to a large retailer to buy a treadmill not long ago, only to find that I actually knew more about their products than the store employees did. I found myself correcting them about the type of motor and features the machine had.
When I go to a local running store, I can be certain the employees know their products because they use their products. Motivated by a desire to legitimately help the customer, they can be trusted to steer me in the right direction to find the perfect gear to fit my personal needs.
Second, local running stores are active in the community. The Salt Lake Running Company organizes free 5Ks. Wasatch Running holds regular running groups and puts on the Utah Grand Slam each year. They are a presence at local race expos and advertise races in their stores and websites. Both hold training runs for those getting ready for local half and full marathons. Their desire to create a community of runners is as strong, if not stronger, than their desire to make money.
Third, local running stores know their customers — literally. They know my name and recognize my kids. One employee even asked me about the Garmin I bought from her three months earlier when I came in to buy a new running skirt. We've had conversations about which marathon is better: Boston or New York. They've asked my input about the Grand Slam race selection and my past experience. In other words, they really care about their customers enough to get to know them as people, not just profit.
The myth is that buying products from local running stores is always more expensive than buying online or from a big-box retailer. With so many struggling in this economy, price, understandably, is the top concern.
In truth, local stores offer fantastic discounts, especially to repeat customers. I get a discount from Wasatch Running for participating in the Grand Slam. Salt Lake Running offers discounts on shoes to those who show they have registered for a race in 2012. There are frequent sales at the end of each season when new product rolls in. The price I pay for shoes is the same I would pay if I had bought them online, and often cheaper than I would pay at a larger retail store.
Many local running stores run giveaways and contests, as well. I won a pair of shoes from the Salt Lake Running Company for having the ugliest foot. Yes, I am very proud. I also won an iPad from Wasatch Running during a recent sales event.
A word of caution. Running store employees are eager to help you find the products that work for you, but it's not cool to get their input and then take your business elsewhere. If you ask for their time and expertise, they ask for your suppport and business.
As you shop for yourself or a beloved runner in the coming weeks, remember that running is more than a sport. It's a passion, and we runners are a tight community. Let's support each other. Run local. Shop local.
Kim Cowart is a wife, mom, 24-Hour Fitness instructor and marathoner who's husband should realize how lucky he is to have a wife that is so easy to shop for.