I don't think I've met someone in DC who doesn't like Mayor Adrian Fenty or the things he's doing. Just the other day I read something about him guaranteeing that every desk in every public school in the district would have a PC on it by 2010 - go Fenty go! After visiting Fleet Feet, it's not hard to see why Fenty is such a cool cat - his parents, who run the joint, are equally awesome. Go into any Foot Locker, Champs Sports, City Sports, or other "shoe store" and ask one of the high school kids who work there what shoes are best for someone who "pronates." Rest assured you'll get a blank stare - "uh....this one?" "Wrong! Guess again!" The fact is that if you're serious about buying a running shoe that FITS, you go to a place like Fleet Feet because that's all they care about: fitting you with a shoe that fits YOU. They'll start out with two shoes - they lace 'em up, slide you into them, and then tie 'em for you, yes, pampersome indeed....then you go outside for a little jog to get the feel. Bring your feedback in with you, and they'll give you another one or two shoes to try. "This one seems too stiff, that one too soft" "well let's try something in the middle then." I was in there for 25 minutes and Fenty's old man let me try on 4 pairs of shoes, paying close attention to my reaction to each, all while helping 3 other patrons at the same time! Such undivided attention deserves my patronage. I was deciding between two pairs of shoes, both of them Brooks, one $120 called the "beast," the other $90 "dyad." I said "what do you think is best for my body type?" which Ironically resembles that of a "beast." He said "both provide support - what feels better?" And I went with the cheaper pair. He could have lied to me, but he didn't. I value that. The other thing that makes Fleet Feet great is that they don't seem to be influenced by hype. Saucony, Asics, New Balance, Brooks adorn the wall. A few pairs of Nike's, but none of the flashy air balloon shoes you see elsewhere. No sir, this is a REAL shoe store where you get what you need, not what looks cool or is most popular amongst middle schoolers. That, and you're supporting DC's first family, and what a cool set of people they are.... Bottom line: don't go to any other store in the district if you want attentive service, fair prices, and knowledgeable recommendations that are based on your own personal set of fleet feet :) read more

Great shop for running shoes! The staff is a good mix of young and enthusiastic and old and experienced (hmm, sounds like a list of Clinton's dalliances). They ask all the right questions, LISTEN, and let you try out shoes around the block before buying them. Kudos for staying in business all these years. It's an AM insititution, right along with bar-crawling! read more

They really care about their customers. I've bought my running shoes from them for the past 5 years. Their recommendations are always great.

I give 5 stars to these guys! I found out my inserts were the wrong size which was causing me pain, and was sized for a new pair of running shoes, which I was provided a few pairs to choose from. These guys ask you the right questions to fit your needs. New different brand of inserts and new running shoes! My feet couldn't feel better! read more

I came to upgrade my running shoes. I wanted a fitting and a personalized recommendation. I got exactly that and I was done and on my way really quickly. I'm a novice runner so the help I got was greatly appreciated. read more

Fleet Feet is an amazing neighborhood store for athletics. Alice was a great resource in making sure I had the right fit for my running sneaks. I was at first intrigued and seduced by a pair of Nikes that looked really fast, but Alice helped navigate me to Sauconys - which were a much better fit for my needs (novice runner with knee problems). I ended up taking them for a run with a hot chick I'm into, which was a little too much. However, now that I've toned it down it is all good! Thank you Alice - you rock! read more

I have been going to Fleet Feet for years and after a recent interaction, will no longer give them business. Sadly, their customer service has gone WAY down hill from what it once was. Owner Phil Fenty used to provide impeccable service to his customers, but I haven't seen him around in a long time and whoever he has passed the management along to (his son?) is certainly not able to fill his shoes. I tried to return a watch I had bought from them that completely stopped working and they refused to give me a refund. Not only would they not give me my money back, they were completely rude to me about the whole thing. It was a smack in the face after the thousands of dollars and years of business I have given them since I moved to Washington. What a shame. On a positive note, I went to the new Pacers store on P St (across from Wholefoods) last night and it was a fantastic experience! They were so nice and my running shoes were 15% cheaper than at Fleet Feet. 5 Stars to them! read more

I've bought 2 pairs of running shoes here. This place is awesome- they have lots of VEGAN running shoes! Like, more than one style! I told the salesguy I wanted vegan running shoes, and he asked me what color, and actually looked at my foot to see what style would suit me best. After you get them on your feet, they tell you to go test them out outside. I liked my shoes and service so much that I told my husband whenever he decided to get running shoes, that's where he had to go. And he did! read more

If anything bad, god forbid, ever happened to this place this would be one that I would fight for because this is place with honest salespeople who care about their staff and their well-being. They are all runners and triathletes themselves, so they are not just trained in details of the most expensive sneakers, which ones are "running " or " walking" and how to sell them like a Foot Locker. They want to know what you want in terms of goals and problems, have probably experienced themselves, and recommend everything they have to keep you coming back for all your sporting gear. I trained for a triathlon a few years ago and plan on restarting this process and will only go here to find out the latest in gear and techniques. read more

A native Washingtonian, lifelong runner & Fenty family fan, I can't imagine how I didn't get around to visiting Fleet Street until this, HOT, sticky afternoon. W/too many pairs of the wrong running shoes in my closet & too many blisters on big toes to count, I was in desperate need of a running shoe intervention. I taxi'd over to the store b/c it was 102 degrees at 1o'clock. Eric greeted me right as I walked in & we got down to business talking about my foot issues & what shoes had/hadn't worked for me in the past. He brought out Asics, Nike, Mizuno, Saucony & Adidas-a few of these brands I had never tried before. When one pair didn't fit right, he would bring me an alternative to try. I really appreciated the time and attention to detail that he paid me & my feet. Plus he didn't try to sell me anything other than what I was looking for. When I was interested in a second pair of shoes that they didn't have in my size this visit, he took my info & promised to call me when it arrived. I bought a pair of white w/ blue & green striped Asics.So hopeful was I about these shoes that I walked all the way home with them in my hot little hands. (By that time of the afternoon, the temperature had hit 103). When I think about how many miles I put in not just as a serious runner but also as an urban commuter, I realize how important taking care of the feet truly is. Fleet Street is the runner's place to get the best quality care for your feet. I believe the staff here will do whatever necessary to find you the proper shoe. It's rare to find such quality customer service these days, and it's especially rare to find it in a sporting goods store. I can't imagine what I was doing in City Sports or Heaven forbid Lady Foot Locker for all those years ...I certainly spent a lot of money and got a lot of blisters during my time frequenting those places. Now I know better. Fleet Street hosts several training programs for local runners. Marathon Training, Half Marathon & Army 10 Miler packages run 18, 15 & 10 weeks respectively. At around $12 a session, they are priced very reasonably. If I'm feeling really inspired in my new Asics, I'm going to consider the 10 Miler program myself! read more

This store is owned by the Mayors father - Mr Fenty is an avid and well known runner who runs teh shop with his wife. Stand up gentleman. I try to send alot of DCFD recruits there to get the PROPER fitting for shoes to wear while in the acadamy. I've brought friends here and will continue to send people to this store. Positive atmosphere with knowledgable people (skip the foot locker next door and walk a few stores down to fleet feet) read more

Had a great experience buying a pair of running shoes tonight. Philip looked at my stance, talked about my running goals, asked about my shoe preferences, and recommended three styles of shoes for me to try. He also told me about some running trails and routes in the area. Overall, great experience. read more

Why do I like Fleet Feet in Adams Morgan? 1) Accessibility: the place is easy to get to from anywhere in the general vicinity, being on Columbia Road. 2) It's owned and operated by a local family (Mayor Fenty's, nonetheless) and it helps foster the running community in the area. 3) The people working there are runners - believe me, this is of exceedingly high importance when choosing a running store - runners know from personal experience how to deal with sizing for different pronations, how to choose shoes for particular racing/training needs, etc. 4) Prices are fair market price, and they have sales. I've been by there for shoes and running shorts and the staff are phenomenal and all I can say is that they know their stuff well (I hate dealing with people at places like City Sports that don't know much about running - asking questions here will help differentiate minor levels of arch support in shoes by the same brand, for example). All and all, I was very impressed by the level of knowledge demonstrated. read more

I always feel taken care of at Fleet Feet. They know their stuff, they are willing - and able - to figure out what equipment will work for the customer's feet, activities, and budget. Even when that means trying on many pairs of shoes and insole combinations, over multiple days, allowing you to return the shoes and take up more of their time until you are satisfied. For those who have posted about less than great customer service recently, I came today specifically to give Fleet Feet props for the service I just got. I went in for a return a few hours ago - never a business's happiest priority as they're potentially losing a sale, and the customer can't walk out and go somewhere else to do it no matter how long it takes. A pipe upstairs from them had burst, and the employees were busily trying to deal with buckets and towels. In the middle of this chaos, Kimberly still told me not to leave and helped me out right away. That's attention you won't find in many businesses of any type. read more

Had great deals, great selection of shoes. The staff was outstanding, professional and knowable. Found a couple of pairs that are just comfortable and reasonably priced. read more

I cheated on Fleet Feet once with City Sports. I haven't slept since. I'm sorry, I won't do it again.

First a little background so my comments make sense... Like other reviewers, I never talked to a shoe specialist beyond asking a lady at Payless if they had a shoe in my size. I chose a shoe that looked cool enough and was cheap (like under $40 cheap). I used to dance all the time and then life hit me and I stopped dancing and mostly just worked and occasionally would lift. I got out of shape and generally missed doing active things. Then I decided to change all of that. I changed my diet up and worked in runs almost every day to get back on track. The only problem is that mentally I was all about it, but physically I was aching in some points. I figured that aside from going hard too soon, my bargain Fila shoes I probably got at Walmart were old and practically me running barefoot. My knees ached after 3 mile runs and they didn't fit too well in general. Made a stop in between work engagements and decided to upgrade my fitness. Darren and his colleagues sat me down, measured me, looked at the shape and form of my feet, had me walk around a little, and then brought out some shoes. They lace them up and tie them onto your feet for you (surprise, I tie my shoes poorly too-fixing that), and then not only have you walk around in the , but invited me to take them to the streets and run a little! I made a lap around the block came in and told them how they felt. We then tried some other shoes (and ran some more, an extra workout haha) until we found the right shoes. I probably tried on 6 pairs of shoes and the employees never looked like "sheesh pick a damn shoe already." They were super helpful and I could tell they really cared about me finding the right shoe. My shoes ended up costing around $110 (with a small discount because they wanted to apologize for me waiting at one point, which I didn't say no to, but totally didn't feel inconvenienced at any time). It was way more than I normally pay, but I could tell with the right fit and the right shoe that my runs are going to be awesome and I will be back to my old self in no time. Highly recommend! read more

Called to ask for two types of shoes they sell for over pronation and lady was rude stating I will not give that information over the phone and that I would have to come in. I have never experienced such poor customer service and I will never walk into a fleet feet store again. Lady needs customer sensitivity training as she is causing store lost business. read more

I'm going to get to the point: I have very wide feet. As a runner, it's hard to find a good running store that has wide shoes at my size. Phil noticed right off the bat my feet were really wide and pointed me at the shoes that came in uber wide. Most places only have maybe a pair or two, but Phil had a good number of choices. It took a few pairs, but I went with a pair of Asics that fit me perfect. The whole time Phil was patient and the shoes I went with were not the cheapest or the most expensive. I leaned toward both just to hear what he said and he told me the most important thing was comfort and he didn't mention anything about the prices. Once these shoes break I will head straight back to get a new pair! read more

I'm actually a swimmer, not a runner, but Fleet Feet met my needs for a new cap and stocks a variety of swimming gear (even paddles!) and items for triathletes as well. Clearly their main concern is runners; the small place was packed when I went with runners trying on new shoes with attentive staff as well as groups just chatting and browsing. They do marathon training and weekend fun runs, as well as run a website and newsletter. At least for swimming gear it's a little more expensive than other places, but it's good to support local shops and Mr. Fenty was working the register and being generally awesome. Definitely check it out if you are a runner or swimmer. read more

You are a fool if you live in the DC area and buy your running shoes from any place other than Fleet Feet. I have been running (and buying running shoes) for years, and yet I still learn something new about feet, shoe technology and my body whenever I go in there. If I could give them 10 stars I would. The service is ridiculously attentive, and visiting this store reminds me of why I'm proud to be a runner. read more

I'm relatively new to the sport of running and wanted to find a store whose staff could recommend, and properly fit me for a pair new running shoes. Naturally, I turned to Yelp for a little help on the matter, and in the end all signs pointed towards Fleet Feet. Yesterday I made my way over to the store to check things out, and to my surprise, found that all the hype that it receives here on this site is well deserved. A few moments after entering I was approached by a salesman (Shawn) and proceeded to tell him my story (read: beginner. pain in my shins. looking for shoes to help out.). We then sat down, and after taking a look at my feet and stance, he made the first of several trips to the storeroom and returned with shoes that would offer the best support and stability for my situation. His picks were dead-on! And as I tried on each pair (5 in total), he gave a full breakdown of the benefits they provided and how they'd work for me (not to mention a few tips on running in between). This was definitely a first. I should also add that I witnessed the other salespeople giving this same level of service to other customers that were in the store. After going outside for a few test runs down the block, I decided to roll with a pair of "Brooks Beast" in the end. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning here in the future! read more

I'm pretty sure the dress code for the people who work at fleet feet could consist entirely of intimidating tshirts: 50k! Century bike ride! Marathon! They're good. And even better, they're great at helping you, even if previously your only take on sneakers meant not wearing them with office suits. Want to start walking? They have a shoe for you. Blisters from Satan dripping on every toe? They may send you to a doctor, but they'll suggest the proper sock/shoe size/fit/blister pack to get you trotting off again. Sure, that rack of swimsuits is a slightly embarassing reminder that some of the clientle could best both sonic the hedgehog and the little mermaid in triathalons, while I'm still collapsing at the end of 5 mile fun runs, but the beauty of Fleet Feet is that it never seems to matter. Oh, and about those fun runs- every Sunday, a chance to whirl around the city and meet up some fellow spandex addicts. Great stuff. read more

I just recently bought a sweet pair of running shoes from Fleet Feet. I started running regularly about six months ago and a couple friends who run marathons suggested that I go to Fleet Feet when I complained that my shins were starting to hurt. They sized me up real quick, told me about how screwed up my feet were, used some fancy term ("extroverted") in order to be nice about the fact that I have flat feet, explained why the shoes I was running in were causing me to be in agony, and then suggested that I get a shoe that was a bit stiffer. They put me into this sweet pair of adidas. Granted the colors are a little feminine for me (white and hot orange), the shoes are the most comfortable running shoes I've ever owned. read more

Excellent customer service, small neighborhoody feel. The shop goes out of its way to make sure it is staffed with enough people so all customers feel as if they receive special attention. And the staff are very knowledgable about running, cross training, and fitness, many with Iron Man, Marathons, and other races under their belts. Highly recommend. read more

I have never been to a shoe store like this. They wait on you hand and foot or rather, foot and foot. They look at the way you stand/walk so they can give recommendations on shoe shape. They give you shoe suggestions based on the type of shoe you like, then they actually put the shoe on your foot and tie it!!! Once the shoe is on, they expertly test whether their are any spots that they think are too tight and will rub the wrong way. Finally, the prices in store vs online generally don't seem to be very different! read more

I had a super busy day and came in 15 min before closing. It didnt matter, they all took care of me and took the time to sell me a shoe they thought was best. Everyone was super professional and awesome. It had been a year since I've been here and they reminded me that I can bring back the shoes within a month if they dont work out for me. How awesome is that? Love this place. The other items are competitively priced. read more

I needed help with picking out the right pair of shoes as well as the right sports bra, and I couldn't be happier with the service I received. Everyone who works here has a real passion for running and for sharing that passion with we who are perhaps, neophytes at best. Best of all, it's entirely a homegrown business, with a long history. Wonderful, wonderful, store, and I will be back. read more

The running shoes I bought last time KILLED my calves for some reason. I had lost my receipt, but Fleet Feet still helped me, explained the problem, and let me exchange them for a new pair that work great. read more

I was very satisfied with my service at the time when I went in to purchase my shoes a few months ago. However, I've since had to purchase another pair of shoes because I was fitted for the wrong type of shoe. Minus points there. However, I'm willing to say that was just a fluke because it seems like lots of other folks have had great experiences there. read more

I live in Belgium and I was in DC for a conference. I thought it could be a good place to buy for shoes (taking advantage of currency exchange). I had found the shop on Yelp, reading how great it was. But really I could never imagine how good it is!!! Maybe it's American service, or just these guys are just fantastic! I am not very sportive, I just wanted good walking shoes to start exercising again. And the guy was just fantastic, advising me, looking at my feet, seeing what would be good and really listening to me. I would really recommend for anyone living here, but also anyone passing by! big thanks! read more

FFS is consistently good. The fit tests for my running shoes are always spot on.

Folks were nice and knowledgable. There wasn't much space to run around but a quick jog outside doest hurt before you buy. So far their shoes and suggestions are spot on. read more

Before I took over the running world earlier this year, it was a trip to Fleet Feet that got me off to a good start. The staff was very courteous, answered all of my slightly stupid questions about shoes, and even let me run around Columbia with a pair of their shoes. Ultimately I dodged the full prices offered here by ordering online and realized a discount of about $45. I would recommend others do the same. read more

Many thanks to the attentive staff at Fleet Feet, for their help this Saturday evening! Was very pleased to have a knowledgeable runner assisting in finding a running shoe that would allow me to ease back into a running routine. Will certainly be back! read more

Love it! Went in to get new running shoes before a race. Even though they were super busy Phillip took the time to assess my needs ad teach me what to look for when buying a running shoe. The first pair he picked was the pair I took home but not before trying out a few options to find the best fit. While I learned a lot about buying running shoes I will definitely be coming back to Fleet Feet fort next pair. read more

I love this shop! We have been shoping there since mid 80s, my mother used to take to get our sneakers there. You will always find very honest & educated salespeople there. I have since moved to maryland but whenever I find myself around Adams Morgan, I take the time to go in and get something. read more

As someone who isn't really a big runner, I don't know if the shoes I got at Fleet Feet are the best fit for me. Based on the terrific experience I had buying shoes at their store just now...I'm going to go ahead and guess that they're perfect. The staff at Fleet Feet (in addition to being wonderful, and helpful, and patient, and courteous, and interested in my running, and unrelated to anything--playing great tunes) took their time, examined my foot and my stride, consulted with one another, and then had the inventory necessary to find shoes that fit the monstrosities known as my right and left feet. The staff brought me several pairs to try on, helped me narrow the selection down based on the level of support my feet needed, the shape of my foot, and how they felt, before offering up their final thoughts. Seriously, others have touched on it, but I can't emphasize enough how great the staff is here. I get the sense that, had there been a need, the staff would have been there with me until closing time pulling shoe after shoe until we found one. So, to wrap it up: fantastic, friendly, fun, financially...affordable--Fleet Feet Sports earned a customer for life tonight. Cannot possible recommend them enough! read more

I went here, based on all the Yelp reviews, with some pretty specific needs: OTC orthotics and shoes with medial posting to help deal with awful, persistant runner's knee in both knees. A new orthopedist recommended the orthotics, and I went to Fleet Feet hoping that someone might help me with the fitting and that would be about it. Shannon wound up spending about an hour with me--helping with the orthotics, fitting me with some new shoes, and being generally awesome and supportive. Apparently the store works with doctors and physical therapists in the area. Really can't recommend them highly enough!! read more

I had a great experience getting shoes here. I haven't been fitted before and have usually self selected in the past, leading to a shoe that wasn't as optimal as it could have been. Getting the shoes was a little more expensive than what I had hoped but the store's return policy made me confident that I could come back if there were any problems. read more