CRYSTAL LAKE – The Running Depot in downtown Crystal Lake moved to a larger store on Williams Street as it looks to offer more shoes, running gear and training services.
The city's downtown has seen a mini-renaissance of sorts in the last two years as new restaurants and stores have opened throughout the area.
The Running Depot, a hot spot for the local running community since 2002, moved to a 2,500 square-foot store two doors down on Williams Street, said store manager and local running expert Cari Setzler. Its former store had about 800-feet of retail space and set back from the street.
The new store at 30-H N. Williams St. officially opened for business Monday.
Employees had been busy in recent weeks putting the final touches on the new store ahead of the opening.
"We're very excited about this opportunity," Setzler said.
With more than three times as much space, the Running Depot will expand its selection of footwear and apparel. It also will offer more room for gait analysis and other community programs, Setzler said. The Running Depot also plans to offer expanded hours.
The Running Depot provides beginner 5 kilometer, half-marathon, and 50-kilometer race training programs as well as individualized coaching, and other courses for runners. Setzler has coaching certifications from several different organizations.
The business sponsors a number of local charity walking and running events each year. It is owned by Pam Andrews.
To celebrate the reopening, the store is hosting a 2- to 6-mile run and walk at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The fun run will start at the store and be followed by breakfast.
The store's new location is directly on Williams Street in the Brink Street Market. The new location will make it more visible to shoppers, said Diana Kenney, executive director of Downtown Crystal Lake, a nonprofit organization dedicated to downtown businesses.
Though there are some vacancies in the Brink Street Market, Kenney said there was only one other empty storefront on Williams Street. Demand has remained strong for downtown properties, but the area was hurt by the recession.
"The recession did hit us, but not as dramatically as Route 14," Kenney said. "We are certainly bouncing back."
Kenney said she was pleased with the mix of stores and restaurants in the downtown area.
