The Long Run

Fleet Feet is already the nation’s largest specialty running retailer.

CEO Joey Pointer sees even greater growth opportunities ahead and believes the chain’s brightest

By Greg Dutter

RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL retail operation is a lot like running. The second you slow down, you lose ground to competitors. And if you cramp up and stop, you can be left behind for good.

Joey Pointer refuses to let that happen to Fleet Feet. The chain currently boasts approximately 300 stores and $600 million in annual sales, and Pointer’s five-year goal is to expand to 400 stores and hit the $1 billion mark. The CEO is confident those milestones are within reach, having already set a blistering pace since being promoted from CFO in 2017. Fleet Feet has acquired businesses (Jack Rabbit and Marathon Sports chains, most notably), opened numerous company- and franchise-owned locations, expanded its digital footprint, introduced Fit ID foot-scanning devices in stores, and unveiled a new flame-inspired logo. Next up is a revolutionized loyalty program set to debut by year’s end.

What looks like a sprint, though, is actually an ultra-marathon. That’s because Pointer isn’t just working on a five-year growth plan for the now 47-year-old business; he’s on a journey to build a 100-year brand. In fact, what he loves most about his job is the challenge of finding ways to grow and evolve to ensure that Fleet Feet is just as relevant today as it was a year ago, five years ago, etc.

“You have to earn it every single day to stay on that journey,” says Pointer, an avid runner. “You have to win with every single customer, and past success doesn’t equal future success. When we open our doors each day, we have to be on our game and give customers that unparalleled experience. Because if we ever stop doing that, we won’t hit our goals. So, every day is Day One of building a 100-year brand.”

This effort spans every facet of Fleet Feet’s business. It’s why Pointer regularly visits stores to get an in-the-trenches perspective of how well they are serving customers and what can be improved. He often comes back with reams of notes to run by the management team at the company’s Carrboro, NC, headquarters. He even jumps behind the cash register for brief tours of duty, looking for ways to improve the overall shopping experience and to fully appreciate what his employees (called “outfitters”) go through on a daily basis.

“To perform on that retail floor, where customers have all this knowledge at their fingertips yet still look to our outfitters to be experts is hard,” Pointer says, confessing that he’s “horrible” at it. Still, he still believes it’s the best way to help Fleet Feet get better. “To be a great leader, you have to be a great listener, and I need to be as close to the business as possible. I’m in stores regularly, speaking with customers and employees, always looking for ways to improve.”

Pointer loves what he sees during his Fleet Feet pop-ins. Take a recent exchange he witnessed at a Tampa, FL, location. The outfitter was working with an elderly female customer who’d been through knee replacement, a broken hip, and three back surgeries. “In addition to assisting her in taking her shoes off and on and lacing them up, he installed new sliders on her walker that she’d bought at a store next door,” Pointer says. “Our people are the secret sauce of our brand. We call them our Day Makers.”

Such customer experiences make Fleet Feet unique, according to Pointer. “We’re helping people reach their goals, at every level, surface, and distance. But it’s about more than providing solutions. It’s about our staff’s inspiration, knowledge, and commitment to go above and beyond in order to create amazing customer experiences,” he says. “It’s about taking the extra time to really connect on a one-on-one basis. It’s that passion and commitment that separates Fleet Feet from everyone else. Ultimately, it’s a level of service and experience that you just don’t get at every retail environment.”

Pointer says Fleet Feet’s community-oriented approach is another point of differentiation. The stores serve as meeting places for runners and walkers of all ages and levels to shop for the latest shoes and accessories as well as places to connect. That requires building a corporate culture that empowers local decision-making, which includes franchise owners and company-owned store managers deciding which community partners and events to sponsor. It also involves hiring people who believe it’s a privilege to serve these communities. “We’re community retailers, and I believe the Fleet Feet brand is brought to life by our people, who make us the best national resource for local running,” he says.

Christopher Cohen, vice president of sales for Hoka US, says Fleet Feet’s commitment to the communities it serves runs deep and is a “clear strength.” He links the chain’s success to goals that center on what is best for each store, the team, and respective communities. “They take the long view on their business and look to create a sense of community at scale,” Cohen says. “They also have a remarkable service model, placing consumers’ needs at the center of their thinking. This approach goes beyond transactional thinking, leading to consumer trust and loyalty.” In fact, Cohen says one of Fleet Feet’s most unique characteristics, especially for a retailer of its scale, is its ability to run like a local specialty retailer. “Their blended model of both company-owned and franchise doors makes