I am not a runner; I feel people should know it's not just a runner shoe store. I have been buying shoes here for probably a decade. I do trail walking and hiking; I have a very temperamental body and shoes are very important (8 surgeries including femur and knee). Their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. The manager, Josh is the real deal. I don't like taking things back and I recently bought a pair of shoes that aggravated my hip and knee. I was able to swap them out and I am so happy with the new Altra shoes that I got. I love their socks too :) I greatly appreciate small local businesses. read more

The staff was friendly and helpful. They answered my questions. They welcome slow runners.

I just left the store and Mike is AMAZING! I've never left a store and written a review immediately. But he was so knowledgeable, took his time to explain things to me and was a genuine nice man. Never had a better experience finding running shoes. I own Burn Boot Camp in Laguna Niguel & Costa Mesa and I'll tell everyone to go see him! read more

Bought heaps of 2xu running tights.... Wanted to try on my size before buying them, not many stores carry $100+ pairs of running tights especially the 2xu brand. read more

If you run, you need to go here. Don't buy your shoes online, come here and ask for Shane. He spent an hour with me to find the right pair, did a foot scan. This place is amazing! Great service and price!!!!! read more

I had an excellent experience at this running shoe store. The staff was very knowledgeable, patient, Hailyn took the time to understand my foot issues, especially my plantar fasciitis. She carefully evaluated my needs and helped me find the right insoles for support and comfort. read more

Great Service! We were so impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of Shane. He was very helpful with finding my Husband comfortable shoes and an arch support to help with his plantar fasciitis. We would recommend this store 100% read more

This store has all of your running essentials. From apparel to tech to hydration/gels. I came here on a weekday to stock up on gels for the Long Beach marathon, staff was super nice and educated me on how/when to take gels. I might come back to run with their run club one of these days. read more

I had the best experience at this shop! I was having feet pain so my podiatrist referred me to this shop to purchase some Hoka shoes. I had heard of Hoka's but never owned a pair. Once I tried them on, I couldn't take them off. They were so comfortable! The shoe has a lot of cushion and it's exactly the type of shoe that I needed. This review isn't about Hoka shoes though... it's about the excellent customer service that I experienced by Scott at the shop. He was very patient and took the time to explain the different versions of Hoka shoes, and also introduced me to other brands just to compare. I also had to go up two sizes in order for my feet to fit into the Hoka's, and he kept bringing various sizes out until we got the perfect fit! While the shoes fit length wise, it was a bit roomy at the heel, so he recommended some thick socks which did the trick! The store itself is very clean and organized. In addition to a wide variety of shoes, they also have athletic attire and misc items related to running. They're in a shopping plaza off of Alicia Pkwy, right before entering the 5 fwy, with plenty of parking available. It's in the same plaza as Del Taco and LA Fitness, right next to the Dollar Store. I highly recommend this shop if you're looking for some new kicks. And be sure to ask for Scott! read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Great running shop. Always a good experience with knowledgeable staff, good selection. Have been coming here for years.

I came in a day before a holiday and they were sooo busy. Shane was so helpful and they were so busy that he was multi tasking helping multiple customers at once. He was super awesome and took his time helping me get the right shoes despite how busy they were. I love my shoes and they have helped me tremendously. Thank you Shane, you are awesome. read more

I am not a runner. I am a (very brisk) walker. I put about 15 miles on my shoes weekly and my current ASICS shoes were done. I knew it was time to step up my game and go to A Snail's Pace instead of Off Broadway Shoes... If you care about your feet, this is the only place to go. Full stop. They will do a digital analysis of your feet which will only set the employee and you up for success. Steve was extremely helpful! The first pair (out of four) that I tried on were ultimately the ones I went with - that's how spot on his selection for me was. Just got back from my hour walk on pavement, dirt, rock, bark chips and gravel, as well as varied incline and decline, and my new Diadora Cellula felt a-ma-zing!!! So happy! read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Diadora on varied terrain - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Outstanding experience at A S P in Mission Viejo, as always! Mike helped me and he said he has been selling shoes for 40 years. I believe him! His suggestions were helpful, and I found the perfect pair for walking within a few minutes. Never feel rushed there, but they are always efficient and friendly and above all, knowledgeable. I have flat feet so it's important to have a salesperson who knows what works and what doesn't for arch support. I am also impressed that their prices have not gone up much, if at all, in the past couple of years since I bought my last pair there. Same good quality and good prices. I always recommend A Snail's Pace to everyone. read more

Very helpful & knowledgeable. They personally help with the selection of a shoe. Help you try them on and will give recommendations based on what type of exercise you're doing. They also carry a lot more brands than the typical outlet store. read more

So I just started running. I'm green. I know nothing. I started running to try and lose weight, and my feet have taken a beating in the Nike "running shoes" I own. I don't run far, but enough to know that If I didn't fix my shoe situation, my feet would probably fall off in the next 1000 miles. Enter Snails Pace. I came here because friends/co-workers recommended them. I came on (black) Friday, and the store had a few customers. But before I could hit the back wall and browse, a gentleman came up and asked if I needed help. His name is Scott, and is the main reason this place gets the 5*. I told Scott my situation, and he had me get my measurements on the instrument, and then explained to me the results from the measurements. He then brought out a few samples, had me try them out, and THEN proceeded to analyze, and brought out the next size up. He answered all my questions with an ease and patience of someone whose been in the game, and is truly passionate about running. I was not only impressed with the instant rapport, but the trust I felt when he explained to me his recommendation. I walked out with a pair of Saucony Ride 14s, and have been nothing but impressed with my decision. When my mileage is up on these shoes, and I need a new pair, A Snails Pace will be my go to. read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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This place is great! As a local physical therapist the manager invited me for a fitting and I was blown away by the breadth of knowledge the staff at this location displayed. I tried on probably 5 different models of shoes following a full foot analysis and videoed running analysis. The selection was vast and the store was much larger than I had expected. Having previously dealt with shin splints I was worried about finding the right shoe, but having worn my saucony's for a couple months now, they are GREAT! I would highly recommend coming here for any runner or walker looking to get into the right shoe for you! read more

Mike over at snails pace was awesome, helped me and my girlfriend pick out some great new balance shoes. He was friendly, knowledgable and patient. read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - New balance shoe - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

About a year ago, I bought a pair of Hokas, the best walking shoes I've ever had, at this store and the service was awful. The salesman refused to listen to what I wanted and wanted for me to try other shoes. I knew what I wanted and politely said, no I like HOKAS. It was a struggle to get this guy to listen to what I wanted. Today, I went back for another pair of HOKAS and found even worse customer service. The salesman was curt, slow and unfriendly. I will have to go somewhere else. read more

I'm fairly new to running and only ever bought shoes on Amazon or big box stores. So I'm glad to support a small business as I'm getting ready for my first 5K. There was plenty of parking in the plaza too as a plus! I made an appointment for the shoe fitting and was greeted by Micah. He asked if I would use the shoes to run or walk, and if there were any problems he should know about. Then, I stood on a platform and he took a 3D analysis of my feet/ankle and explained all the different metrics to me (Length, width, how high my arches were, feet pronation) Then we went to the shoe wall and he had me try on my first pair. I ran on the treadmill while he filmed my feet and looked at the impact and stride. Overall, I tried on 6 different pairs that were catered to my feet and I walked all over the store. Micah was super patient and explained the differences of each shoe and new technology brands were using. I ended up buying the Saucony Ride 15 ($150 after tax for a price point comparison) and learned a lot about my feet. I would highly recommend this shop for your needs! read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Saucony Ride 15 - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

In years past, we have had decent experiences at this location. Decent. Not amazing. They have been semi-helpful but a little awkward in terms of customer service. Today we walked in. There were 6 men working. 2 on the floor, and 4 behind the counter. We were the only customers in the store. As I walked in, they all just got quiet and stared at us with their arms folded. None of them looked friendly at all. It was so quiet and awkward as I walked up, that I felt the need to greet them since I received no greeting. So I said hello and they still stared at me with stern faces for a few seconds. They had all their TVs/screens,machines turned off and someone was mopping. I asked them what time they close and one man said 5 o'clock in a very short way. So then I look at my watch and said "oh, sorry you guys close in 10 minutes. Is it too late for a fitting?" And he looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about and then said that would take about 45 min, and just left it at that. Which is untrue, my husband has come for a fitting/test twice in the past and they were really fast. As I said, it just seemed like they had turned off everything already and didn't need the sale. They were really unhelpful and quiet, even though 4 of them were just staring at us with blank expressions. So I told them I'll just come back another day and walked out. I will not be back to this location ever. If you would like to avoid a very tense and unwelcoming environment, I would just go to a different location. They all seemed to be in a horrible mood. And it wasn't our first time experiencing that awkward tension here. Guess I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

Shout out to Gael who is a superstar staff member. He's super experienced and knowledgeable! He helped me figure out what kind of shoe works for me and my feet, types of insoles and even socks after doing an eval. Dude is the man! Amazing employee of an amazing shoe store. This guy needs to be promoted. Left me with a great impression of the company! Thanks again! read more

I ALWAYS go to Snails Pace when I need new shoes. It's not like getting shoes from Costco! They do sophisticated testing to determine best shoe options based on how you walk, run, and the shape and size of your foot. Bob helped me today. He was friendly, knowledgeable, professional. Highly recommended! read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - New Brooks shoes - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Micah did my fit/feet test and helped me pick out the right shoe. He is knowledgeable and patient. Highly recommend it here. read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - GT-2000 12 - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Great layout inside this place. Friendly vibe coming inside and my uncle got helped on shoes to walk in. Found a nice deal we got for him with a pair of insoles and nice quality shirt on sale more than half off. Totally would come back on their great service and quality of things. read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

My podiatrist recommended shopping at A Snail's Pace to find shoes with a specific "heel drop" to help with my sinus tarsitis issue. Micah helped me find the correct shoe and he was great to work with. Thank you! read more

Another great experience at this store. 5 star. Noah helped me and was personable, friendly and knowledgeable and helped me find the perfect shoe. I couldn't decide between his 2 recommendations so I ended up buying both. I love my new running shoes And have already done 2 half marathons in them. You really cannot find a better place to buy running gear. If you are serious about running, I definitely recommend coming here so they can help fit you to a proper shoe. I used to have foot and knee problems after I ran a lot of miles because I was just wearing a generic shoe. I literally have no aches and pains after running, or any issues with my feet since I have been wearing the shoes the recommended by a snails pace. read more

After developing Plantar Fasciitis in mid August and now almost 3 months later I'm finally able to resume my daily walks. For years I wore Brookes Ghost 12 but realized I had to rethink my foot wear. A trip to Snails Pace, and with the help of Shane, got me fitted with a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam X More V4 so I'm back to working myself back up to my 5 miles per day. Thanks Shane read more

I prefer A Snail's Pace over Road Runner Sports because there's no hard sell and there's a good selection of shoe brands.

After coming here, I feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because we just had the most amazing shoe buying experience ever. Steve helped us and was just amazing. Personable, knowledgeable and at the same time not pushy at all. My son needed new spiked sprinting shoes and they had three different options to choose from, significantly more than a certain big running box store. So why am I sad? Because I feel I missed out by not coming here earlier and having previously purchased shoes at the big running box store, which was always a frustrating experience. Lastly, the price was right here as well. I would have been willing to pay a little more at a local small store, but their prices rival the bigger competitors. So to sum it up, this store is awesome. It will be my new go-to for all things running. read more

I've been a customer at snails pace and OW loved the service. No nonsense shoes for a runner. Actually ran on several snails pace events 30 years ago. read more

I am so glad I found this place. The store was not busy early afternoon Sat, so I had a very nice, knowledgeable salesperson all to myself. I tried on only 2 pair and quickly decided on "ASICS gel-nimbus 26." They, combined with the aptly-named "wicked comfort" socks = very happy feet. I've been shopping for months trying to replace my HOKAs. Quick and easy because they carry only quality shoes, and socks. read more

My podiatrist told me I needed custom insoles for flat feet/orthotics and I specifically had to go here to get something called a "neutral shoe" (huh? lol)... and a shoe where the insoles of the shoes could be removed... brand new ones that weren't worn in from my previous use and only certain brands.... It was a lot of rules... I got some off the Internet but they said they weren't good for various reasons ... long story short, I went here a couple months ago... and all the staff was super helpful ! It was pretty busy when I went... and still, the lovely young man did a beautiful job answering all my questions... getting me tons of different shoe options from the back and special ordering for me when it wasn't in store. I was impressed by his extensive shoe knowledge for an old lady like me who needed a specific Expensive shoe... will highly recommend this store. I'm really happy with my shoes and their knowledge. read more

Over the last year I have bought a random pair of running shoes from Nike outlet... 600 miles later I decided to do some research online and thought I made a good selection on Amazon... 600 miles later I wanted to see what a real running store would say, what a great experience! I had selected a solid shoe but after a 3D scan of my foot and slow motion review of my running stride in store it became clear I hadn't tailored my selections to my needs. Scott was extremely patient and knowledgeable, every shoe he showed me was solid but I love my new Brooks! Within 2 hours I was out on the road and my feet fished my daily run feeing better than ever! Go here and your feet will love you for it. read more

A Snail's Pace Running Shop - Brooks glycerin - Shoe Stores Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Micah gave excellent service which first started with 3d sizing of my feet followed by trying on about 5 pairs of shoes. Service was fantastic and I'm sure all the other staff are as good at customer service as Micah was to me. I highly recommend this running shop read more

Excellent service & great fitting & more importantly comfortable shoe! I have hard-to-fit 11.5 narrow flat feet.

Where do I begin... Shane is absolutely amazing, he is a true asset to this team/employer. A little back story, I am a member of Road Runner (was) so I took my Father-in-law to RR the day after Thanksgiving to get new shoes and insoles. We expected a wait and a lot of people but the service we received was horrible, beyond words. I made a call while in RR to Snail's Pace and was told they could help and had some shoes in stock in my FIL's size (Extra Wide) he could try on/buy, so we left RR and drove right over. We were greeted by Shane and that's where everything went right :) He was told by his co-worker about the extra wide shoes on hold for us, he grabbed the shoes and then took my FIL over to sit and talk about what he wanted out of a shoe, etc. He took the time to listen to him and measure him and explain everything. Now my FIL is over 80 years old, he sometimes doesn't hear well, walk well, etc....Shane was extremely kind and had such patience with him. When my FIL would walk around Shane would move things out of his way to prevent my FIL from bumping into things (again FIL is not always steady) and when trying on the shoes Shane would open the laces nice and wide and help my FIL lift his leg/foot into the shoes. It was very clear to me that Shane cared and had the foresight to see my FIL would not be able to move as a younger person with more flexibility. Shane was not rushed in any way, he really went over and beyond to take excellent care of us. FIL was so happy and told me "always bring me back here for my shoes, never to the other place again" :) We are huge fans! Do yourself a favor and go...if you are a runner, walker, athlete, or just aware the good shoes and insoles are important to your posture etc., make sure to go to a Snail's Pace. read more

I walked in as a first-time customer to get some shoes at 5:45pm on a Tuesday. They close at 7pm, so I figured an hour and 15 minutes would be plenty of time. I entered and looked around. There appeared to be 3 workers and 2 customers inside the store. No one greeted me, looked my way, or acknowledged my presence in any way whatsoever. I browsed through the shoes a moment and then went to the central customer service desk area and asked if someone could help me. A worker looked confused and overwhelmed by the question and made the nonverbal utterance of, "Uuuuhhhrrrrmmmmm...." then said the other workers were busy assisting other customers. I asked if I should come back tomorrow and he just fretted with uncertainty, not knowing when they possibly would be done. I walked out of the store and no one said goodbye or acknowledged my leaving. It was literally one of the most awkward, uncomfortable, frustrating "customer service" experiences I have had. I suppose you have to catch them at a time when either 0 or 1 customers are present or it seems they become completely overwhelmed. I don't understand why the workers here cannot greet or acknowledge customers who walk in, even if they are busy, like they would at any other business. And why can't workers toggle between customers and help one customer, then another, then go back to the first, like they usually do at shoe stores? It would have been helpful if the worker could have given me an estimate of how much time I would have to wait before someone could assist me. Would it have been 5 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour? He could have asked the salespeople for an estimate and then let me know, but he didn't offer to do that. I now appreciate the service at Road Runner Sports, or any other shoe store for that matter. I never appreciated their customer experiences until I experienced A Snail's Pace. Today I learned that the meaning of their name. A Snail's Pace refers to the rate of their customer service. Update: Shortly after I posted this Yelp review, someone (possibly from the business?) sent me this note on Yelp, "For someone who has the time to write an essay on a 5 min experience, you seem very impatient. Road runner deserves customers like you." I responded that the problem was that I felt disrespected, as other Yelpers have stated they had similar experiences. read more

I never would have thought I would've stepped into this store. Seeing how running is not my favorite thing to do, I decided to see the experts when a friend entered me in a marathon. I've always struggled with shoes so I was pleased to see equipment to measure my feet to help narrow the selection of shoes. Alex was quite the expert in explaining what my legs are doing, why certain shoes have sucked, and brought out a few choices that he thought would be solid. I landed on the Brooks Ghosts and after taking them out today for a 3 mile run, they're the ones. A big thank you to A Snail's Place and huge ups to Alex. read more

First of all I would like to mention that this shoe purchasing experience was like no other. I was welcomed by Micah. I explained that I was looking for a decent pair of shoes that was applicable to me and my needs. He took a 3D image of my feet and explained in incredible detail what I might need in terms of arch support, heel support, shoe size, width accommodations, etc. I was stunned to find out all the different factors that are involved in finding the right shoe for your specific foot. Micah was so patient in my shoe shopping process. He started with me trying on a "base shoe design". Micah proceeded to observe the way I walked in this base shoe design to determine if I needed another specific shoe design to meet my needs. Micah suggested a different shoe to meet my specific needs. I tried on about 5 different shoes. All better than the next. Micah did a fantastic job in narrowing down my needs to find the perfect shoe for me. It didn't stop there. Micah then took the time to find the perfect insole for my shoe. Again, asking me to try different insoles and observing how I walked in these to determine that right one for me while also taking into consideration my opinion. This is an incredibly long review but for good reason. This way BY FAR the best shoe buying experience of my life. I dragged my fiance to run this errand with me and she ended up being so surprised by how amazing this shoe purchasing experience is. She admitted that she will be a future customer. I am proud to say that I will continue to remain a customer of this amazing company. THANK YOU AGAIN MICAH! read more

I ramped up my running when Covid kicked in and closed down gyms in March 2020, but I've never quite found the right running shoes that kept me running. I walked into A Snail's Pace today. Alex greeted me, offered to take measurements, plus have me run on the treadmill and assess my gait. He used their technology to show me the shape/size of my feet plus take a look at how my ankles line up with my feet when I run. The service here was amazing. He took the time to explain everything to me, plus brought out 5 pairs of shoes to try on run on the treadmill with. All of the shoes he brought out felt a world better than any of the shoes I've purchased in the past 5 years. I left with a pair of Brooks Ghost 14s and with a huge smile on my face looking forward to my next run. A big thanks to Alex and A Snail's Pace. read more