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Date: 2/12/2020
EAST LONGMEADOW – For Tim Murphy, 4Run3 is more than selling shoes and organizing races; it’s about community.
As longtime runners, Murphy and his wife Jill have a passion for all aspects of the benefits of running, but that one specifically is what they hope permeates from their new footwear and apparel store at 78 Center Sq.
The former owners and operators of Fleet Feet Sports in Longmeadow plan to create an all-inclusive environment they have embraced and encouraged since they created the 4Run3 running club a decade ago.
“4Run3 as a running club started in 2010 or 2011 and has been a thing for years now,” Murphy said. “We obviously ran another running store and it was kind of rebranded, but it’s always kind of been there. We relaunched 4Run3 as a brand earlier this year and when we decided to do the retail space, we carried that brand over with that same kind of mentality.”
With an estimated opening date of mid-March, 4Run3 will aim to be welcoming to all ability levels. While many might be intimidated at the thought of stepping foot into a running store if they aren’t training for a marathon, Murphy indicated that in their minds, everyone is a runner.
“Honestly, I would tell you that that’s probably 80 percent, if not more, of our customer base. It’s that person who might classify themselves as ‘not a runner,’” Murphy said, using finger quotations. “They say, ‘I’m not a runner but …’ and that’s how they start the conversation. Our thing is if you’re interested in running for whatever reason – whether it’s for stress, for health, to lose weight, to get some time to yourself away from work and busy family life – that’s what we’re here for.”
The 4Run3 running group, Murphy added, has more than 700 members on Facebook throughout Western Massachusetts and obviously not everyone in that group is an elite runner, but regardless of ability, connections and friendships – even marriages – have emerged and his expectation is that same atmosphere will be present in the store.
“Those folks are so supportive of each other. When people get involved, they realize that they don’t need to be intimidated,” he said. “If you look at the comments and reviews and conversations on Facebook, that’s what you see – people who are glad they found it and they got over the fear of trying something like going to a store or joining a running group because they love the group mentality.
“I think that’s the difference – it doesn’t matter if you’ve never run before, if you’re elite or if you ran in college and got away from it and now want to get back into it. We have seen people looking to complete their first 5K and people who are running their fifth marathon. It spans the entire spectrum and the great part about a store in the run specialty channel is that we’re super connected to the running community and we develop that piece.”
In addition to footwear and apparel, it’s expertise that will also help separate 4Run3 from other retailers.
“Our goal is not to just have you walk through the door and we sell you shoes. We want folks who have an interest in running as a sport or as a pastime to come in and experience running the right way,” Murphy said. “Yes, being in the right shoe is a huge part of that and we’ll help with that, but then it’s things like if you’re running in cold weather, are you wearing the right apparel? Do you have the right tools so you can enjoy the sport? If you are curious about running and go out and do it in your own and don’t have the right things and don’t enjoy it, you’re doing yourself a disservice and might not do it again. We want to make sure it’s enjoyable for everyone, regardless of level or conditions.”
Murphy added he is excited to be positioned at Center Square and response from the local community has been strong in anticipation of their opening.
“Being right across the parking lot from Town Hall, we were in there doing paperwork and people were commenting about our sign and asking us when we were planning to open. People are excited. They’re already asking for 4Run3 merchandise,” Murphy said. “For us, it’s exciting because East Longmeadow opens up a whole new market for us. There’s a great flow from Springfield through the rotary and down into Connecticut. There’s everything you need here – great restaurants, coffee shops, a pharmacy – and we’re right in the middle of it.”