Welcome back to Fit Stool Stories, where we share lessons learned, funny stories, unforgettable moments from our time helping customers find the perfect fit.
Today, I’m throwing it back to 2011—just a couple of weeks after we opened Reno Running Company—when I had what is still, to this day, one of the most epic shoe fitting experiences of my career.
This one had everything: a determined runner, an unshakable shoe bias, and a record-breaking number of shoes tried on. But most importantly, it reminded me why we do what we do in specialty run retail—because the right fit can truly change everything.
The Runner Who Would Try Anything… Except One Brand
One afternoon, a young man walked into the store. He was stationed at a local military base, an avid runner, and ready to find his next pair of shoes.
As with all customers, I started with our process: a quick conversation to understand his needs, followed by a gait analysis. This meant measuring his feet, putting him on a treadmill, and analyzing his foot strike to determine what kind of shoe would best support him.
Now, normally, we start the gait analysis with a neutral, well-cushioned shoe—one that gives us a clear picture of how the customer’s foot moves without added stability features. That day, I happened to grab a bright yellow Nike Vomero.
Before I could even open the box, he shook his head.
“No way.”
I paused, a little confused. “No way… you don’t want to go through our process?”
“No way I’m wearing Nike.”
He was firm. This wasn’t just a preference—this was a conviction.
I smiled. “You don’t have to buy them. They’re just for the treadmill test.”
After a bit of back and forth, he begrudgingly agreed. Fine. He’d wear the Nike for the gait analysis—but that’s it.
The Great Shoe Try-On Marathon
With his foot mechanics assessed, I went to the backroom and pulled out five shoes—our usual starting point. We like to give customers a strong selection without overwhelming them.
As he tried each of the 5 pair, he’d glance at the shoe wall and say, “What about that one?”
It wasn’t a busy day, so I was happy to oblige. I went back and grabbed it.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
Before I knew it, we had over thirty pairs of shoes in rotation—the most any customer has ever tried on in our store’s history.
An hour and thirty minutes later, he sat on the bench, head in his hands, shaking it back and forth.
I leaned in. “What’s wrong?”
He sighed, looked up at me, and—half-embarrassed, half-defeated—said:
“I just tried on every damn shoe in your store… and nothing feels as good as that Nike I refused to wear.”
We both laughed.
“Alright,” I said, “why don’t you try it on again?”
He slid it back on, took a few steps, and shook his head with a chuckle. “Yeah. This is the one.”
The Best Kind of Marketing
As he checked out, he apologized for “wasting my time.”
I stopped him right there.
“You didn’t waste my time at all. This is exactly why we’re here. To help you find the perfect fit, whether it takes five minutes or five hours.”
This is what makes specialty run stores special. It’s not about the brand. It’s not about pushing a particular shoe. It’s about the experience—trying things on, feeling the difference, and sometimes ending up with something you never expected.
But the best part of the story?
Two days later, he came back—with eight of his friends.
He told them, “You guys have to get your shoes here. These people are awesome.”
That moment solidified something I’ve always believed: the best marketing isn’t a flashy ad or a sale. It’s an unforgettable experience. When you take care of people, they remember. And they tell others.
The Lesson? Take Your Time. Try the Shoes. Trust the Process.
To this day, whenever a customer says, “Sorry for trying on so many shoes,” I just smile and say,
“You’re not even close to the record.”
And for our team, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do. Sometimes the first shoe works. Sometimes it takes 30. But when you’re patient, open-minded, and truly focused on finding the best fit, magic happens.
So next time you’re shopping for running shoes, remember: take your time. Try them on. Trust the process.
And maybe, just maybe… be open to something new.
– Matt Balzer