The two VA Runner stores with locations in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge, Va. south of Washington D.C., were acquired this week by the Denver-based Running Specialty Group (RSG) from current owner Carol Van Horn. The addition of the two new stores brings the total number of RSG retail stores nationwide to 50. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Van Horn will assist through the transition period and current employees will continue their employment under the new ownership.
The first VA Runner opened in Fredericksburg in July1999 with 3,400 sq. ft. and the Woodbridge store, also approximately 3,400 sq. ft., opened in April 2003. Both specialty running stores are known for their community focus and match the profile of other stores acquired by RSG in the past 18 months. In addition to selling technically advanced running and walking shoes, apparel and accessories, the staff has professional training in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics to assist customers in selecting properly fitted footwear to reduce the risk of injury and increase the foot comfort of their workout. This culture and philosophy is consistent with RSG’s overall mission to deliver consumer-centric services in all 50 of their retail locations.
The two VA Runner stores are known for developing relationships with their customers, sponsoring local races and fun runs, providing training opportunities, and offering outreach programs to elementary and secondary schools in the region to foster interest and involvement in sports and activity for youth. VA Runner plays a sponsorship role is all of the Fredericksburg Area Runner’s Club (FARC) race events, including the upcoming Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix Series that kicks off its 12-race series on Feb. 9 with the Sweethearts 4ever 4mile run.
“We feel that RSG is the best company to carry on our mission by keeping the stores and staff local,” explained Van Horn. “We believe that caring about our community and our customers is a vital part of a specialty running store and we feel that RSG also shares this outlook. Being part of a larger company like RSG will enable VA Runner to have an even bigger impact in our area,” she added.
“When we find running stores that have the same goal of connecting, not just selling, to their customers, we are very interested in helping them expand their ability to reach more runners and walkers by utilizing our existing platform and resources,” explained Ken Gart of Gart Capital Partners. “That philosophy aligns with our vision of what a running specialty store should be and is what provides value to the customer,” concluded Gart.
