1st Place Sports

TRUE ENTREPRENEURS, DOUG AND JANE ALRED weren’t afraid to try new things and take chances. It’s what led them to open Jacksonville, FL-based 1st Place Sports in 1978 and the mindset that has fueled their evolution across the last 45 years. They created races to promote their retail store and invested in timing equipment; hatched the idea of weekly charity 5K runs; formalized their 5-Step Fit Process to enhance customer service; and embraced technological developments like foot-measuring 3D laser systems.

The risks have added up to longevity, success and notoriety. In 2020, 1st Place Sports was named the Best Running Store in America. Though 45 years in, the Alreds are not slowing down. They are currently scouting a sixth Jacksonville area location.

“There’s plenty of room for us to spread our wings,” Doug Alred says.