RunNFun not in top 50 run'n Stores?

I beleive you are referring to the Top 50 Running Stores special advertising section in Running Minnesota (and I assume other specialty/local running mags) The whole thing is an advertising piece. I think it was sponsored by Reebok, right? So stores that sell a lot of Reebok product no doubt where the only ones invited to apply.

For example, I'd put Colorado Running Company at least on a par with Runner's Roost in Colorado Springs, but I'm guessing they don't sell as many Reeboks at CRC.

A few of the top stores in the Chicagoland area were left out too. While I do believe some of the stores in the section were legit, many stores that are better than others were not mentioned.

WildBill wrote:

What a joke that Run N Fun was not included, they service the majority of Minnesota's high-schools and all the running clubs. They have two great locations and have PT's on site like other shops listed. The biggest and best store in the midwest not included, what a joke this thing has to be fixed.

You realize you were reading an ADVERTISEMENT?

Read the intro to the advertising supplement "The 50 Best Running Stores in America":

"Stores were nominated by consumers and trade executives and then visited by 'raters' from Franklin (Franklin Resources, a retail merchandising company), who purchased footwear and then completed the evaluation form. The evaluation rated stores on a scale of 1-100 based on their results, and that score was counted for 70 percent of the overall total. The remaining 30 percent was based on subjective analysis of the store's community service and financial stability."

More objective than that wrote:

The remaining 30 percent was based on subjective analysis of the store's community service and financial stability."

As in, "the ad rep/Reebok rep had 30 percent leeway to do whatever they wanted."

Hansons dropped Reebok almost 2 years ago and they were named the top store in the Midwest.

The supplement includes ads for New Balance, Brooks, Etonic, Reebok, Teva, Finish Line Management, UK Gear and Asics.

I'm an editor of one of the independent regional publications in the Running Network which produced the "50 Best" supplement, and I know that some mags chose not to include this list if it left off good local stores, especially if they also advertised in the mags. Other pubs included an introduction to the supplement by saying something like "here are some other great local running stores you should patronize."

The "50 Best" supplement was born as a concept pitched by the Running Network to the advertisers who chose to be a part of it. As I understand it, the advertisers had to commit to the project prior to the selection of the actual "50 Best."

With all that said, it can't be comprehensive or totally objective. No "best of" lists ever are. But it actually provided some good info and exposure for some specialty stores that are otherwise out-advertised by the big discount chains selling crappy shoes and offering little to no service.

"Stores were nominated by consumers and trade executives and then visited by 'raters' from Franklin (Franklin Resources, a retail merchandising company), who purchased footwear and then completed the evaluation form."

TRANSLATIONS

Consumers & Raters = folks who actually filled out questionaires and "secret shoppers". Their experience dictates the rating. So, if they got a great fit, big smiles, loads of patience, and felt comfortable - great score! If they got pseudo-surly college kid / local elite who talked only about himself, store felt clubby, poorly merchandised, dirty, had poor selection of sizes/SKUs or they were made to feel "fat and slow", "not worthy", or "intimidated" - poor rating.

Trade Executives = sales managers and reps. Is the store easy to work with, humble, growing, buys whole lines, pays bills on time, doesn't ask the company for too much? Then it rates high. If the store owner / buyer is a bastard, returns stuff he won't sell, cancels orders a few days before shipping, constantly whines about everything while suggesting he knows more than the shoe company ever will, talks crap about companies to other owners / franchisees, constantly in credit jail, always wants more discounts and/or free stuff? Then it gets a low score out of spite.

I don't know the store in Minnesota but I do know the industry is very interconnected and the store's and retail chain's reputations are well deserved and quite universal amongst the manufacturers.

I saw only one store for Minnesota, Marathon Sports in Minneapolis. They must be pushing Reebok or how else would they have been picked over Run N Fun. For what it's worth the best service hands down goes to Gear. This small store in Edina,MN is what its about. Great community support of runners, and a awesome race team. My vote goes for all small stores taking care of runners! Both Run N Run and Gear should be on the list, to bad they don't push Reebok.

For what its worth wrote:

With all that said, it can't be comprehensive or totally objective. No "best of" lists ever are. But it actually provided some good info and exposure for some specialty stores that are otherwise out-advertised by the big discount chains selling crappy shoes and offering little to no service.

wrong. with thorough research, it is absolutley possible. don't try to hide behind an excuse like that.

Not only did Reebok not have any say over which stores were picked, Reebok isn't even the biggest advertiser in the supplement. Did you really look at it? New Balance has the eight-page center spread and no one comes close to that.

If the results were skewed in any way, the guilty parties are more likely the owners and employees of the winning stores. By nominating themselves early and often, they could have stuffed the ballot box and gotten the raters' attention. Any store lacking a nomination probably threw away their invite with the junk mail.

Snooze you lose.

"They must be pushing Reebok or how else would they have been picked over Run N Fun."

According to Run N Fun's website,

www.runnfun.us

, the store sells three brands of shoes (Brooks, Asics and NB) advertised in the supplement. Same goes for Gear:

www.gearrunningstore.com/prod.html

This conspiracy theory isn't panning out.

I was at Marathon Sports and they f***'d my foot up by pumping up a Reebok so tight on my foot I screamed the Gophers will win the NCAA's in cross country this year!!!!Then I limped out of there and went straight to Gear. It was totaly empty. Only an old jock strap from Kevin McHale was hanging on the wall next to some BOA shorts. I raced over to Run N Fun in Eden Prairie , I couldn't find the place, instead I ran into Waldo, he couldn't find it either. He sent me to St.Paul and Runners Edge, it looked just like Gear. I finally stumbled down to Run N fun St.Paul but they couldn't open the door because the inventory fell over and the staff was trapped inside under rack's of Nike basketball shorts. This trip sucked, I ended up buying shoes at Running Room and five jackets that all have great ass-flaps.

Run N Fun wins for most inventory per square inch of floor space. You can barely turn around in that place. It's perfect.

Coldman wrote:

and a awesome race

"an awesome"

Since the Roost doesn't even carry Reebok, it would be hard for CRC to sell less.

I love this. I want to encourage Pump Rules to post more often. How are the ass flaps working in the cold?

Wild Bill, I would probably have to agree with you about our great running store competitor, Run'nFun. They should have been included, along with my former business (store)Marathon Sports in Minneapolis. Perry and Kari Bach do a fantastic job at the St. Paul location, for sure. The Eden Prairie location (it's too new), I can not comment on. No question their St. Paul store; in terms of VOLUME (it may well be one of the top 10 stores in the country.) They have a fantastic racing team, clearly dominating the local racing scene.They pretty much dominate the H.S/College team market in this area.

There are, I'm sure other criteria for making the top 50 list, other than volume. I know, Marathon Sports was singled out for its overall service and the fact that all employees are trained in basic podiatric skills by Dr. Paul Langer, a very knowledgeable area Podiatrist/triathlete. I'm sure the other better stores train employees to some degree; John Long (new owner) has made it a big part of Marathon Sports. (That was one of the factors that so impressed the selectors for this award.) Obviously, I was pleased that my former store, Marathon Sports, made the top 50. But frankly, I was surprised that R'N F didn't make it as well. Someone mentioned the possibility of REEBOK being a factor in the selections. Well, could be, but Marathon Sports has NOT had a pair of 'boks on the display wall for 8 years; MS clearly did not get selected for carrying Reebok!

In the for-what-its worth department,, these various honors are nice, but not really worth a whole lot.They are based often on OPINION, and you know what they say about opinions. I'm sure Perry and Kari will keep selling a TON of shoes and clothing.