"Sole"d By Chester County Running Store

Before I could continue my walk through West Chester, I had to make a choice about the sneakers. I considered a few factors.

1. Cost-- Obviously DSW comes out on top here. On top of the twenty dollar difference between this one pair of shoes, DSW constantly offers promotions and sales to make their product even more affordable. They offer rewards programs for their "frequent buyers" as shoppers gain "points" for each purchase they make, offering them even more of a discount in the future.

2. Selection-- Once again, DSW comes in first here. Even if you eliminated the countless racks of heels, slippers, and platform shoes, the selection of DSW's athletic shoes far exceeds that of the Chester County Running Store.

3. Helpfulness of Staff-- The Chester County Running Store far trumps DSW in this area. In both scenarios, one visible salesperson was present. However, at DSW that salesperson played with her cell phone; at Chester County, that salesperson happily donated her time to examine my low-arched feet.

4. Knowledge of Staff-- At DSW , I could have tried on a nearly endless selection of sneakers to determine which "felt" the best, but I would have ended up with shin splints. I didn't even know that I had low arches prior to CCRS, and I certainly didn't know that the cushioning that felt so good would end up causing me pain in the long run. Even if I would have taken the research into my own hands and checked out the Asics website, I still would have no idea what shoes were best for my particular feet.

5. Connection to the Community-- Not only is The Chester County Running Store located in the heart of the West Chester borough, but it also offers a great deal of information about various local races and athletic events. This information, whether in the form of flyers or posters, both develops interest in the local events of West Chester and promotes the importance of fitness in general. In fact, participants in the West Chester bike race and other events can even receive discounts on the purchases they make.

Even though I could be a real jerk (or a wise consumer as some would say) and buy the Asics at DSW's significantly lower price, I decided to go with the Chester County Running Store. Interestingly enough, the store offered me a ten percent discount because I had signed for the Susan G. Komen walk, once again reaffirming that there are more important things than saving a few bucks. I had a feeling my feet would be thanking CCRS when I walked in October.

Low Arches? My Advice from the Chester County Running Store

I am probably the least athletic person on the planet. I know as much about athletic footwear as someone illiterate does about books. When I stepped into the Chester County Running Store, I had no idea what to expect.   Located on High Street about half a block south of Market Street, the store spans less than a tenth of the floorspace of DSW or one of the other shoe "superstores".  

When I walked in, the store was empty with the exception of one employee. A girl of about twenty, she cleaned the door while music blared from the radio.  I gazed blindly around the sneakers and athletic shorts that hung from the walls before she asked me if I needed some help.

I told her about the 3-Day Walk, and she asked to see the pair of shoes I was wearing. After looking at the bottom of each shoe, she asked me to walk around the store in just my socks.  She informed me that I had low arches and that with the wrong pair of shoes, I'd probably end up with shin splints.  She showed me a few pairs of Asics and explained that I would need a shoe that provided "support," not a shoe that provided "cushion". I asked her if I would need to purchase one or two pairs for the 60 mile event, and she actually said that I could make do with one, as opposed to trying to boost her sales.

 

I left the store a few minutes later.  The sneakers she recommended cost 100 dollars, a little more than I hoped to pay. The high prices were probably necessary as no other customers had stopped by during my twenty minute visit.  Yet despite the fact that the store remained empty, the Chester County Running Store has become successful enough to open a second store in Pottstown, located in Northern Chester County.  Before I can make any real decisions, however, I need to stop by DSW to see what a chain store offers in terms of athletic footwear.