“Our focus is on the relationships with the KC runners and with the community”- Westport Run816
To my Kansas City audience, I want to introduce a really cool store that I recently came across. First off, I am going to tell you a story from the perspective of our character, Gregory, and let you experience this fantastic shop through his eyes.
Gregory had just finished a run with a local KC running club. He was sweaty, but didn’t want to go anywhere as he was sitting in a crowded room full of runners, holding an iced cold beer from one of Kansas City’s local breweries. He had already made a lot of friends here, at the store, and was really beginning to feel connected to the Community. It’s not every day you come across a store like Run816, he thought. When he first saw the store, he was hesitant to check it out. He thought to himself, it is probably just another store focused on intense running gear and seasoned athletes. Boy, was he wrong! They were so cool about helping beginners get connected to a running group and getting everyone involved in the multiple running events that they host around the city. It has been one of the neatest experience to meet Nick and Tracy, the owners of Run816. To top it off, they have created a great place to hang out and let runners connect and chit chat the day away. The atmosphere is so welcoming and open to the public and perfect for bringing together the community. This place is for anyone who has a desire to be healthy, from beginning levels up to seasoned individuals. It’s just relaxing and fun. They offer fantastic gear to choose from and have even put in a woman’s boutique (GUS) in the back for those who come with their spouse or friend but aren’t into running groups and gear. When Mr. Hemrod finally stepped out and got brave, he went in one day and found himself sitting down with Nick, drinking a cup of coffee and hearing how the store came about. For Mr. Hemrod, this has truly been a show-stopping experience. He will be back in next week without question.
The true success story of how they got started is pretty cool. In 2010, Run816’s original store in Illinois was started under the name Go and Play Outside. It was very successful and they got very involved in the community. At the time of opening the store, Tracy still worked at her position at a local bank. However, in 2011, when she got laid off her job, she went full-time helping Nick grow the store. Family and friends started encouraging them to move to Kansas City. So, they decided to sell their store and relocate to central Missouri. That process of selling took an unbelievable two weeks. Go and Play Outside was a hot item. Soon, they were on the road headed our way. They came looking for their “next op,” with the running store in the back of their minds. When 2014 rolled around, they came across the perfect spot in Westport. They decided to go back to their original concept and opened ‘Run816’ in the 816 area code in March 2015.
Now, they’re establishing themselves as a local business, embedding themselves in the local Kansas City Community, training groups to run in local runs, and forging their own team to represent their shop an offering incentives on merch
andise and shoes for their members. In looking to start a race team, they want to build a good brand and establish it with good, experienced runners.
For this special duo, they are all about giving back to the Community. Everything they do is to establish those connections and provide a great place for people to connect and develop their love of running. Check them out.Run816 Westport, Kansas City, MO.