Type | Privately held company |
---|---|
Industry | Clothing |
Founded |
|
Founders | Sally Edwards and Elizabeth Jansen |
Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 275 stores |
Area served | United States |
Key people |
|
Products | Running/Walking Footwear and Athletic Apparel |
Brands |
|
Number of employees | 2,365 (2022) |
Website | fleetfeet |
Footnotes /references [2] |
Fleet Feet is an American franchisor [3] of locally owned and operated running stores founded in 1976 in Sacramento, California. The company provides a wide range of running shoes, apparel, and accessories for both men and women. Fleet Feet is known for its knowledgeable and experienced staff, who offer personalized fittings and expert advice to help customers find the right shoes. The company is headquartered in Carrboro, North Carolina.
In addition to its retail locations, Fleet Feet offers training programs, events, and other resources for runners and fitness enthusiasts. [2] The company firmly commits to community involvement and regularly participates in local events and charity initiatives. Fleet Feet operates over 275 stores in the United States and has an online presence.
The company was founded in 1976 by Sally Edwards and Elizabeth Jansen, [2] both collegiate athletes, educators, and under 30. Their first store was located on the second floor of a fixer-upper Victorian house in Sacramento, California. [3] [4]
With a focus on community outreach, Edwards and Jansen worked tirelessly to support runners and student-athletes in the Sacramento area. They drove a refurbished United States Postal Service van to area high schools to fit student-athletes and also supported the grassroots events of the area's first running club, the Buffalo Chips. Although sales were slow at first, other brands eventually became vendors, and in 1978, Fleet Feet's second location opened in the town of Chico, 90 miles north of Sacramento. [4]
Rather than becoming a multi-store business, Edwards and Jansen decided to build Fleet Feet as a franchise operation with local ownership. [4] Since its inception, Fleet Feet has been dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and educating runners of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. [5]
Fleet Feet underwent a significant change in ownership in 1993 when Tom Raynor [6] purchased the Fleet Feet franchise and two locations from founder Edwards. Raynor began his career in sporting goods as a sales associate with The Athlete’s House in Nashville, Tennessee. He was soon hired by a local sales agency representing multiple vendors, including Nike. His regular reports to Nike, which reflected the changing market and opportunities for the expansion of running, played a significant role in creating a national "tech rep" program called EKIN. The program was the first among footwear manufacturers and attracted young, enthusiastic, and passionate runners, many of whom remain active in the sporting goods industry. [7]
After leaving Nike in 1983, Raynor joined Brooks Shoe Company, where he held various positions before being named Director of Marketing and Product Development. In 1989, Raynor moved to Wilson Sporting Goods, where he was appointed General Manager of Footwear. Raynor returned to running in 1992 when he joined Fleet Feet, where he worked on store operations and new store development. [7]
The following year, Raynor purchased the franchise company and two stores from Edwards, including the original Fleet Feet Sports location in Sacramento. With only two staff in 1993, Fleet Feet expanded to 90 stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia. In 2010, the company's retail sales surpassed $100 million for the first time. [8]
In May 2012, Investors Management Corporation (IMC), [8] a company founded by James Maynard, acquired Fleet Feet from Raynor. [9]
In November 2016, Fleet Feet entered into a partnership with Karhu, becoming the sole retailer of the brand in the United States. Through the collaboration, Fleet Feet and Karhu developed a new running shoe called the Ikoni, created from the data points of over 100,000 customers 3D foot scans. [3]
In June 2018, Fleet Feet unveiled a new logo, which included an iconic mark and removed the word "Sports" from the name. The most notable addition to the logo was the "torch" image placed between "Fleet" and "Feet." The logo's base symbolizes Fleet Feet's inspiration to runners, while the top portion represents the commitment fueled by the brand through its staff, gear, and programs. [10]
In June 2022, Fleet Feet purchased the 11-store Marathon Sports chain, the New Hampshire-based Runner's Alley locations, and the Connecticut soundRunner store locations. [11]
Recent initiatives by Fleet Feet include introducing a 3D foot scanning system fit id, [12] an e-commerce platform at fleetfeet.com, [13] the national training initiative Fleet Feet Running Club, [14] and the nationwide 5K The Big Run events. [15]
Dunkin' Donuts LLC, also known as Dunkin' and by the initials DD, is an American multinational coffee and doughnut company, as well as a quick service restaurant. It was founded by Bill Rosenberg (1916–2002) in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1950. The chain was acquired by Baskin-Robbins's holding company Allied Lyons in 1990; its acquisition of the Mister Donut chain and the conversion of that chain to Dunkin' Donuts facilitated the brand's growth in North America that year. Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins eventually became subsidiaries of Dunkin' Brands, headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, in 2004, until being purchased by Inspire Brands on December 15, 2020. The chain began rebranding as a "beverage-led company", and was renamed Dunkin', in January 2019; while stores in the U.S. began using the new name, the company intends to roll out the rebranding to all of its international stores eventually.
Roots Corporation is a publicly held Canadian brand that sells apparel, leather bags, small leather goods, footwear, athletic wear, and home furnishings. The company was founded in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, by Michael Budman and Don Green. In 2015, Roots was sold to Searchlight Capital Partners LP, an American investment firm.
Air Jordan is a line of basketball shoes produced by Nike, Inc. Related apparel and accessories are marketed under Jordan Brand.
Sally Edwards is the CEO and Founder of Heart Zones, Inc. She is a best-selling and prolific author, serial entrepreneur, professional triathlete, motivational speaker, innovative app developer and a living legend. Edwards is a pioneer in modern women's sports. She supported and then qualified for the first women's marathon Olympic Trials in 1983. She is one of the original founders of the national governing body of triathlon, USA Triathlon. Edwards has been inducted into two Hall of Fames: the Triathlon Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Sacramento Running Hall of Fame in 2016. She has authored the first books written on subjects including triathlons, training with a heart rate monitor, indoor cycling with wearables, sports snowshoeing, school PE curriculums using wearable devices, and 6 subsequent books on the sport of triathlon. Altogether, Edwards has written 25 books in her effort and her focused mission to get America fit.
Payless is an international discount footwear chain. Established in 1956 by cousins Louis and Shaol Pozez, Payless was a privately held company owned by Blum Capital, and Golden Gate Capital. In 1961, it became a public company as the Volume Shoe Corporation which merged with The May Department Stores Company in 1979. In the 1980s, Payless was widely known in the U.S. for its Pro Wings line of discount sneakers, which often had Velcro straps instead of laces. In 1996, Payless became an independent publicly held company. In 2004, Payless announced it would exit the Parade chain and would close 100 Payless Shoe outlets. On August 17, 2007, the company acquired the Stride Rite Corporation and changed its name to Collective Brands, Inc. The company had a total revenue for 2011 of US$ 3.4 billion. The company also has a stunt premium banner, Palessi Shoes. Payless is currently owned by a group of investors led by Alden Global Capital and Axar Capital Management.
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in 28 countries.
Famous Footwear is a nationwide chain of retail stores in the United States dealing in branded footwear, generally at prices discounted from manufacturer's suggested prices. The chain is a division of the St. Louis-based Caleres and had more than 1,125 stores in 2010.
Just For Feet Inc. was an athletic shoe and sportswear retail store chain headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama which became one of the largest and fastest growing athletic stores in the United States. In 2000, Footstar acquired Just For Feet. It closed its last store in 2004.
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Onitsuka Tiger is a Japanese sports fashion brand started in 1949 by Onitsuka Shōkai, a sports shoes company founded by Kihachiro Onitsuka. Onitsuka Shōkai changed its name several times before becoming Asics Corporation in 1977. Since 1977, Onitsuka Tiger has been sold as a lifestyle brand of Asics.
The Athlete's Foot (TAF) is a global retailer of athletic inspired lifestyle and streetwear — footwear, apparel and accessories. Its global headquarters are located Stans, Switzerland and US headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Champs Sports is an American sports retail store, it operates as a subsidiary of Foot Locker. Products sold at Champs Sports include apparel, equipment, footwear, and accessories. As of June 2019, there were 540 store locations found throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The stores are mainly located in shopping malls, and are 3,500 square feet (330 m2) on average.
Nike, Inc. is an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, United States. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$46 billion in its fiscal year 2022.
Karhu is a Finnish sports equipment company, focused on running. Originally established as "Oy Urheilutarpeita" in 1916, it was renamed "Karhu" four years later. Karhu's line of products includes sneakers, t-shirts and jackets. In past years, Karhu also manufactured skis. In 2008, the company was sold to a group of investors organised under "Karhu Holding B.V.".
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weGrow, was a national hydroponics franchise that sold products and services to help patients cultivate medicinal marijuana. It was the first hydroponics store in the US that openly talked about cultivating cannabis for medical use. It was branded as the "first honest hydro store" and called the "Wal-Mart of Weed" by CNN.
The Gap, Inc., commonly known as Gap Inc. or Gap, is an American worldwide clothing and accessories retailer. Gap was founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company operates four primary divisions: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta. Gap Inc. is the largest specialty retailer in the United States, and is 3rd in total international locations, behind Inditex Group and H&M. As of early 2023, Gap employs about 95,000 people.
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