Mill City Running — Local services in Minneapolis

I had a really fabulous experience at Mill City Running! Even though they came highly recommended by a friend, I was hesitant to come in for a long time for two reasons: I'm a novice runner (but an experienced athlete), and I'm a fat woman with a really positive self-image who just wants to run. Those two things don't always add up to a great experience in a specialty athletics shop or outfitters. After my visit today (and the first run in my new kicks) I wish I had come in sooner!

The staff person who helped me (I wish I could remember her name! Marisa, maybe? I'm so terrible with names...) greeted me with a smile and helped me right away. She was very attentive, listened carefully, and guided me through the fit process with care and genuine enthusiasm. She took the time to share what she learned about my gait and how the different shoes were responding to my stride. She worked hard to make sure I was leaving with the perfect pair of running shoes.

What I found so excellent about my experience here, though, was more about what didn't happen: I wasn't ignored. I didn't get a "look" or an attitude from anyone that said, "what are you doing here?" I didn't get asked if I was sure I didn't just want a walking shoe instead. No one inquired about my weight loss goals (there are none) or said things like, "don't worry, you'll lose that weight if you just [...]" Let me tell you - this is rarely my experience in specialty athletic shops or outfitters.

The one thing I do wish is that they carried extended sizes of running apparel. I expressed this to the person who was helping me but the pieces she suggested weren't my size and didn't fit well. I'm a size 24 and so far, I can only buy online. I know it's not easy to find (get with the program, clothing companies!) but I would love to give Mill City Running more of my money if they could find a good selection of things in my size. I'd prefer to support a great local business than the major online retailers.

A huge thank you for my great new shoes and an amazing experience. I'll definitely be back for my next pair of shoes and other running...

I wanted to write to you all to say thank you so much for such excellent service! Recently I was in your store and purchased a pair of shoes. I had researched your store online and what led me there was not just the fact that it was convenient to my house ( I live in North Minneapolis), but that someone could actually be video recorded running to help assess what shoe they should be in and that they could actually run in the shoes while trying them before purchasing them! To me this was the selling point! I was ENCOURAGED to run in every shoe that I tried on and to take my time! This led me to the shoe that I have and I am very thankful for it! I also saw that your staff are not just about selling shoes, but are about promoting the running experience. I discerned this as I was there I was able to ask some of my questions on running form etc. and get very thorough, practical advice! Love it!

More than that, my sister informed me that she too was looking for running shoes. She lives in Duluth, MN and was in town this week. I told her she needed to check out Mill City Running. At first she was hesitant because she normally buys shoes at a general sports store and pays far less, but I told her it was worth it! Just yesterday she went to your store with my dad, and RAVED about the service she received! She said she was in your store for over an hour trying on shoes and received Excellent Service! She said she was able to run in every shoe she tried on and that the salesperson who worked with her looked at her form, her foot etc. and was able to put her in a great shoe! She was thoroughly impressed! More than that, my father who was with her was impressed as well, which is no small thing being he was actually trying to persuade her to go to a different running store in Minnetonka that he typically goes to for his shoes!

So I wanted to email you all to say thank you! Thank you for going above and beyond in excellent customer service! Thank you for promoting healthy running and not just selling shoes!

I hope you all have a great...

Walked into this place to get new running shoes because I’m thinking of training for a half. As soon as I walked in someone approached me in a friendly manner and got to helping me right away. I’ve had other stores do a foot/gate analysis in the past and it was always just them watching me walk. That was a few years ago. This analysis was WAY more in depth. First they watched me walk. Then they scan your foot to measure sizes exactly and also mapping out pressure points. Third step was recording my feet as I ran on a treadmill for a few seconds so they could watch it in slow motion. This brought back useful info - including helping me realize I’ve been wearing the wrong shoe size most of my adult life. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I tried on several shoes and ended up going with an ASICS brand. I was pleasantly surprised by the $160 price tag as I was thinking it would be way more. Already did two runs that were just shy of 4 miles each and my feet feel phenomenal. I feel like I’m running on a cloud. The shoes are amazing this far and I feel a difference in how my foot sits in the shoe so I’m attributing at least part of that to the proper analysis and sizing recommendations. I’m looking forward to adding up the miles on my new shoes!...