Evolution of a Running Store
Frontrunners marks another anniversary!
It was the 80’s, and the running boom that first began in the ‘70’s now spread out onto the streets with ordinary people trying to stay fit. Before then, running was done by competitive athletes on a track with private clubs, schools, or universities. If you did see anyone jogging down the sidewalk, that person was simply in a hurry. In the spring of 1988, Peter Butler and partner, Rob Reid, brought Vancouver-based ForeRunners to Victoria. And so begins the origin story of the four stores that exist now as Frontrunners Footwear.
If there is a lesson here on following your bliss, this is it. Reid was a schoolteacher and counsellor in Ontario before moving out west, but his path seemed to steer him towards the business of running. When he eventually made it to Vancouver after gaining experience running the Tech Shop with John Forzani, a specialty running store in Calgary, he hooked up with Forerunners, owned by Peter and Karen Butler. At the same time, Reid was also a competitive marathoner, so as he made a name for himself winning races, he was also fostering connections in the running community. By 1992, he had the experience and drive to go it alone, buying Butler out with the help of local businessman, Dave Gibson, and renaming the store Frontrunners. The timing could not have been better as Victoria was becoming a mecca for walkers, runners, triathletes and of course, retirees.
The mid-90’s brought expansion of staff owned Frontrunners stores in Nanaimo with Stefan Jakobsen and Norm Thibault and Westshore with Mark Nelson and Nick Walker. The original flagship store moved into its current, more spacious location at 1200 Vancouver Street which expanded the selection of brands and product choices for customers. In 2012, Peninsula Runners in Shelbourne Plaza was acquired and became the fourth Frontrunners store.
As management and staffing began to take on most of the day-to-day operations, this left more time for Reid to focus on philanthropic projects. His most enduring interest lies with the Terry Fox Foundation. Reid has been striving to find a permanent home for the archival items from the Marathon of Hope – no small task since the touring van is included in the collection! The Royal BC Museum may be the best possibility to create a space by 2030, which would be the 50th anniversary of Terry’s attempt run across Canada. Another ongoing project has Reid as part of a trio in the podcast with ChekTV called Run for It, which focuses on interesting personalities and their running journeys.
Frontrunners thrives from having great relations with suppliers, fostering beneficial partnerships and event sponsorships, and establishing the reputation of being the best place to get a proper fit. The addition of running clinics has added to the full complement of fitness promotion. On average, there are at least five clinic options
with every seasonal segment. Reid is grateful for the work of excellent coordinators, Wendy Cohen and Jonathan Foweraker, and the twenty plus pace leaders who “find a home for every level of runner wishing to get the training in for events near and far.”
At the helm of overseeing Victoria’s Frontrunners locations is Nick Walker, who rose from running the Westshore location to becoming overall co-owner. Somehow, he manages to find time to be present at many of the races that Frontrunners sponsors from the Vancouver Island Trail Running
Series to the Oak Bay Half and 10k to the Royal Victoria Marathon. He also manages a top ten finish himself in some of these races!
Reid admits that retail business has its ups and downs, seizing some opportunities like starting up the Shelbourne Frontrunners location, and dropping others. Everything appears to be moving along pretty smoothly, all things considered! He and his team keep landing on their feet - 36 years later and, as Reid says, “still running with heart, thanks to so many in this community committed to healthy living.”