Boulder Running Company


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Latest features Forthcoming features Subscriptions Job classifieds Tweet June 2007 Retailer showcase: Reasons for their success Each customer get the same attention, whether it is a casual walker or a world record holder. The staff is kept happy with a relaxed, family feeling, above industry-average pay, medical benefits and profit sharing. Halberstadt and Plaatjes are on the floor each Wednesday and Saturday. Other days, Plaatjes is upstairs running his physical-therapy business. The store was one of the first in the US to fit through video gait analysis. SA runners own best store in the US A store co-owned by well-known SA runners Johnny Halberstadt and Mark Plaatjes have been named the American Store of the Year by the The Running Network, LLC and Footwear Intelligence The Running Network award is unique because "mystery shoppers" are sent to all the stores selected by the judges, who rank the stores in several categories. These report cards are then evaluated by a panel of retailers. It was the superior service and attention to customer needs — for instance, by providing a clean sock for each fitting — that placed the Boulder Running Company ahead of the other three finalist stores. In the 70’s and 80’s Johnny Halberstadt was one of the most respected names in SA running circles as a marathon, half-marathon and cross country champion — although his times were world class, the sports boycott kept him from Olympic and world championship fame. While attending the Oklahoma State University in the early 1970’s, he won eight Big 8 conference championships in cross country and track, the 1972 NCAA track championship for 10,000m. He was third in the Boston Marathon in 1971, and third in the Chicago Marathon in 1982 — and to top it, also ran under four minutes for the mile. Halberstadt, who ran a top running specialist store in Pretoria, had met Mark Plaatjes, the 1993 World Marathon Champion, through competitions in SA. Plaatjes is now a physical thereapist known for his work with injured runners and many of the international marathon runners who come to Boulder, Colorado, to train. As a prime running city, there is no shortage of runners coming to the store for advice. A free gait video analysis helps the staff to find the right shoe amongst the very wide selection from most footwear brands. Finding the right fit is the most important part of selling shoes, Halberstadt teaches the staff. Apart from the technical running shoes, they also offer a wide selection of casual fashion shoes – from high heels to boots and sandals... keeping true to their promise that they will have a shoe for everyone. They have three stores in Boulder, Littleton and Colorado Springs. * Read our copyright notice before making use of this article Back to retailer showcase

June 2007

Retailer showcase:

Reasons for their success

Each customer get the same attention, whether it is a casual walker or a world record holder.

The staff is kept happy with a relaxed, family feeling, above industry-average pay, medical benefits and profit sharing.

Halberstadt and Plaatjes are on the floor each Wednesday and Saturday. Other days, Plaatjes is upstairs running his physical-therapy business.

The store was one of the first in the US to fit through video gait analysis.

SA runners own best store in the US

A store co-owned by well-known SA runners Johnny Halberstadt and Mark Plaatjes have been named the American Store of the Year by the The Running Network, LLC and Footwear Intelligence

The Running Network award is unique because "mystery shoppers" are sent to all the stores selected by the judges, who rank the stores in several categories. These report cards are then evaluated by a panel of retailers.

It was the superior service and attention to customer needs — for instance, by providing a clean sock for each fitting — that placed the Boulder Running Company ahead of the other three finalist stores.

In the 70’s and 80’s Johnny Halberstadt was one of the most respected names in SA running circles as a marathon, half-marathon and cross country champion — although his times were world class, the sports boycott kept him from Olympic and world championship fame.

While attending the Oklahoma State University in the early 1970’s, he won eight Big 8 conference championships in cross country and track, the 1972 NCAA track championship for 10,000m. He was third in the Boston Marathon in 1971, and third in the Chicago Marathon in 1982 — and to top it, also ran under four minutes for the mile.

Halberstadt, who ran a top running specialist store in Pretoria, had met Mark Plaatjes, the 1993 World Marathon Champion, through competitions in SA. Plaatjes is now a physical thereapist known for his work with injured runners and many of the international marathon runners who come to Boulder, Colorado, to train.

As a prime running city, there is no shortage of runners coming to the store for advice. A free gait video analysis helps the staff to find the right shoe amongst the very wide selection from most footwear brands. Finding the right fit is the most important part of selling shoes, Halberstadt teaches the staff.

Apart from the technical running shoes, they also offer a wide selection of casual fashion shoes – from high heels to boots and sandals... keeping true to their promise that they will have a shoe for everyone.

They have three stores in Boulder, Littleton and Colorado Springs.

* Read our copyright notice before making use of this article

Back to retailer showcase