Fleet Feet Sports at the Village At Meridian has reached a major milestone!

This month, the store celebrates their one year anniversary and has quickly become a powerful force in the Treasure Valley running community!  Brandon Frank, who co-owns the store with his wife, moved the family from Denver to Boise to open the store after getting approved for a small business loan.

His advice to other people hoping to open their own small business?

"Starting a new business is a lot like carving a statue. Keep the perfect image in mind, take the daily steps to make progress, many hands make for lighter work, and try to enjoy the process."

In celebration of Fleet Feet's one year anniversary, here's some things you might not know about the store and and the people behind it.

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  • Brandon Frank
    Brandon Frank
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    Fleet Feet Is About As Local As A Local Running Store Could Be

    Fleet Feet is locally owned and operated by husband and wife duo, Brandon and Kimberly Frank. Brandon has lived all over the United States in jobs ranging from commercial real estate, to directing a boys residential summer camp and managing retail shoe stores. Kimberly has a degree in nursing and has worked in Intensive Care Units and post surgical units.  She used to work at St. Luke's in Meridian.

    When the couple moved to Boise, they opened their dream store under the nationally known Fleet Feet brand to help leverage better relationships with the brands they carry.

    The Franks treat every customer like family and they say that's why their customers love coming back to the store.  And trust me when I say, they'll always find a way to find a way to remind you how much your business means to their family.  One of Brandon's favorite jokes is "$2 from every pair of shoes you buy goes to help feed our son and daughter!"

  • Final Kick Events (with permission)
    Final Kick Events (with permission)
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    The Store Offers Training Programs For Everyone

    Fleet Feet just held their "Fall Fitness" meeting to introduce the community to the training programs they offer through the store.  They've enjoyed great success introducing people into the running community through their No Boundaries program targeted toward people wanting to go from the couch to walking/running their first 5K. The program also included coaching, a nutritional plan, t-shirt and group supported runs.

    This fall they're adding the Ton of Fun Weight Loss Challenge, Make It A Mile, walk fit, 10K and marathon programs to their training roster.  Whether you're brand new to fitness or have your eyes set on the Boston Marathon, there's a fun program for everyone available through Fleet Feet!

  • Fleet Feet Meridian
    Fleet Feet Meridian
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    They Don't Just Gear You Up, They Run With You

    After running my last marathon, I had a hard time staying motivated to keep running after the race was over.  Luckily, I found my Team Run Boise family through Fleet Feet and having a little company over the miles was the oomph I needed to stick with it!

    Fleet Feet puts together five group runs throughout the week. Their premiere group run falls on Wednesdays.  Appropriately named, Village on the Run meets at the Fleet Feet store and heads toward Kleiner Park.  Afterward the group enjoys time at a Village hot stop like Big Al's, Yardhouse or Kona Grill.  Once a month, the group hosts a huge after run party at Sockeye Brewing on Fairview where they get a killer $5 All You Can Eat Taco Bar and $1 canned beer deal!

    More information about times and locations of group runs can be found HERE.

  • Fleet Feet Meridian
    Fleet Feet Meridian
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    They Have Actual Bra Fit Specialists

    If you look into the number of women who opt out of physical activity because they feel embarrassed about or weighed down by "their girls," you'd be shocked.  A proper fitting sports bra can give you the confidence to get out, get moving and stay fit!  That's why Fleet Feet trains some of their employees to be an expert in fitting women with the perfect sports bra.

    In February, the store did a fundraiser where they teamed up with local high schools to fit female students with proper fitting sports bras.  They donated a bra to the school for every customer who bought one for herself during a sale at the store.

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    Fleet Feet Meridian
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    Every Pair Of Shoes Is Backed By A Happy Fit Guarentee

    Fleet Feet's shoe fitting specialists have to go through months of training to learn how to make sure that you find the best pair of shoes for your body and your feet.  They spend a lot of time getting to know you and your feet, so they want to make sure that you are 100% comfortable in your new shoes.  That's why if you're unhappy with your shoes, they promise to take them back for an exchange or return!

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    Fleet Feet Meridian
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    They Want To Get You Fit For Business

    Do you work a job that requires you to be on your feet a lot and the shoes you're wearing don't quite get the job done throughout the day? Fleet Feet has a special program for local businesses call WorkPlace Fit where they will come to your business and fit your employees with shoes on-site!

  • Fleet Feet Meridian
    Fleet Feet Meridian
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    The Franks Are Some Of The Greatest People You'll Ever Meet

    I'm sure Brandon and Kimberly will blush when they find out I'm telling these stories.  When I say they care about our community, it's completely sincere.  A few months ago, I saw a local marathoner post on Facebook that his car had been broken into and one of the things the thief stole was his running shoes.  While Brandon couldn't replace everything stolen from the vehicle or fix the window, he offered the man a new pair of running shoes to make things a little easier.

    Likewise, I suffered from a vasovagal reaction during a run this past January that caused me to pass out.  I crushed my GPS running watch when I hit the sidewalk.  When I told Brandon why I was running with an app on my phone instead of my watch at a race later that month, he offered to replace my watch.  I was so touched by this completely unnecessary act of kindness that I cried when I took the new watch out of the box.

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