Footzone

FYI! This business has CLOSED their doors!!! Too bad. They are no longer in business.

Paid $ 125 for Wave Inspires from Footzone in Belleuve in April. Out of stock but no calls to me from them only my inquiries. Now they seem to be out of business and I have no shoes. I have been buying these same shoes since 2005 and I am very upset! Can someone please help?

Found that its a bit of a lottery in terms of the quality of staff.
Went in for some trainers for my wife. She selected a pair and we were told– don’t worry try them out on the treadmill and see how they are.
We had to return a pair of trainers as they pinched at the heel. Another sales assistant said they could not resell them despite them being used once.
They offered us a credit note at first– no good when there were no other trainers that were suitable. After around 10 – 15 minutes of sticking to our guns we got a refund.
If you manage to find the right assistant that knows what they are talking about its fine.

I had already picked up a pair of shoes at Super Jock ‘n Jill (highly recommended!) so I was just looking for some accessories like a good raincoat and pants, some reflectors, etc. The girl at the counter didn’t seem too interested in helping me, although she did answer questions when directly asked. When I asked about pants she asked, «Are these for you or someone else?» with a bit of an undertone. I wasn’t sure if that was a standard thing she asked or if she meant, «Umm, you’re a runner?» Could just be me.
The store is very very small and prices didn’t seem great. I don’t see myself ever going back.

Small selection — yes. Expensive — yes. Worth it? Yes.
I’ve had a great experience at the FootZone on a number of levels.
They have a very targeted market of serious runners, so they don’t need a blanket approach and huge selection.
You’re not just paying for the shoes but for the expertise and training the staff have to fit you into a shoe that’s right for your feet.. You’re also paying for a higher-​grade shoe. As you probably know, shoe companies make several models in each of similar styles. So, for example, New Balance makes a 400 series, 700 series, and 1200 series running shoe. You pay the least for the 400 series (which is what a lot of chain stores carry) because it has less cushion, probably not as high-​quality stitching, etc. The FootZone doesn’t carry this shoe. They start at the 700 series, which is an incremental upgrade in quality and price, and then the 1200 series, which is a huge upgrade compared to the 400 series. I’ve had shoes from all series, and they last me corresponding to the series, with 400 series wearing out sooner than the others. Most companies do a similar thing. Bottom line — you get what you pay for, and if you do a lot of running, taking care of your feet is worth every penny.
Plus they have the customer loyalty program that after you buy 10 pairs, you get one free, which knocks the average price per shoe down over time. At 300 miles a year, I’m a fan!

I was told by a avid runner friend that I should get proper running shoes from a proper store that checks the way you run to find the right shoe for you. I saw a treadmill at Footzone and thought this must be the place. The salesperson had me to walk about 15 feet then made the recommendations based my short walk. Perhaps this is not a big deal, but then they don’t stock any shoes under 7 ½ (I wear 7).
Somehow the store didn’t inspire confidence when I’m looking to spend $ 150 – 200 for running shoes… (Maybe it’s possible to fit people with the right shoe based on observing a short walk)

I have a hard time reviewing places like Foot Zone. On one hand, I love smaller independent businesses, and would like to support them whenever I can vs. the big corporate chains. However, Foot Zone has such a small selection and such high prices that I just can’t bring myself to actually make a purchase. I can’t even really come here to browse for ideas, because the selection is so small. The staff does seem to be pretty knowledgeable about running shoes.

I went to Footzone because my foot doc told me they’ve got all kinds of running shoes. It’s a store for runners, etc. They don’t necessarily offer the best prices, though. It’s located in Redmond town Center, across REI.