I've always had a positive experience. I've purchased shoes from both Pacer's and Potomac River Running and can say I've gone back to Potomac River Running over and over. They have numerous community events and bring shoe sponsors so you can try the latest models before you buy. Another nice benefit is there is free parking under the building at this location, get your shoes, stay for a fun run and skip the meter. read more

Nice store with friendly staff. Decent selection and parking validation a nice touch.

I've been buying my running shoes at PRR for many years now, but I just checked out the new location last weekend. It's definitely a bigger, nicer space, and it's easier to see the non-shoe merchandise. Personally, I found it easier to park in the lot at their old store, but that's not a reason to downgrade their rating - I'll get used to it :-) The more important thing is their service, which is great. I have found everyone there to be very friendly and knowledgable (they are all runners). Also, they make recommendations for shoes that would be a good choice based on my needs/gait and they give a professional assesement of the fit. When they didn't have my size, they were able to quickly order it from another PRR store or the manufacturer. I definitely think this customer service and professional advice make it worth the effort (and additional cost, as the case may be) to go to a specialty running store vs. buying running shoes at a sporting goods store or on Amazon. read more

I'm so glad I went! I needed new running shoes but have basically no experience as a runner. Becky was amazingly helpful and patient. She watched me run on the treadmill, gave me great suggestions, and picked out some awesome shoes for me to try. She's a great listener and I will definitely be back next time. read more

I have to say the customer service is great at this place. I went in looking for new running shoes, since I wasn't really sure what I wanted. So the lady who helped me, first did a Gait analysts on me and found what type of footing I had. She answered all the I had and never made me feel rushed.I also found out that I was wearing the wrong running shoes size, no wonder why my feet always felt uncomfortable while running. I now buy all my running shoes here. If your looking for great customer service and people who know what they are talking about, come here. read more

I was told about this store by a friend who is an avid runner. I thought it was going to be another shoe store, but I was completely wrong! I was blown away by the level of detail and knowledge these individuals had about types of shoes, a persons running patterns, etc. I walked out with the best pair of running shoes I have ever had! read more

Went in for a new pair of running shoes after mine were falling apart. The staff was knowledgeable and super friendly. They fit me perfectly into my new saucony running shoes. Will defiantly be back for the pub runs and my next pair of shoes. read more

This location is small, so the selection may not be great, but I recently picked up a shirt and a couple pairs of Hidden Comfort socks that a much larger Road Runner Sports store in Falls Church didn't have. The staff was nice and knowledgeable and the location is convenient. Pacers is probably still the gold standard for running stores in the area, but I'd visit this PR Running store again for sure. read more

Dropped in to this place yesterday with very limited knowledge of running shoes. Phil put me on the treadmill, recorded my strides from multiple different angles and gave me excellent tips. Extremely pleased with the level of customer service that came from the entire staff. I recommend this place to everyone. read more

These folks have a great selection of shoes, socks and other gear. I highly recommend their customer service. It is great having a store that takes time to understand what their customers want or need. read more

Very helpful staff and willing to put up with you trying on 20 pairs of sneakers. They have a treadmill which you can run on to try out the sneakers. Much much much better then a foot locker or department store. read more

My experience was pretty straight-forward. I knew what shoe I liked and what I've ran in so the lady who helped me brought me what I was looking for and made some recommendations that fit into what I liked in my favorite running shoe. She seemed very knowledgeable on the shoes' technologies and was friendly and honest. I asked about ear phones and rather than forcing me to buy what they had in the store (which I already had) she explained how I could replace my ear pieces for cheap. They also let me run outside with the shoes on which is definitely necessary. read more

I've been running for years, but recently decided to up my mileage and train for a half marathon. When I started to have significant pain in one of my feet after my longer runs, I decided it was time to invest in a nicer pair of running shoes, which brought me to Potomac River Running - where I had a thoroughly pleasant experience. The employee who helped me really took her time (listening to my concerns, letting me try multiple shoes on the treadmill while she watched, even suggesting supplementary cross training that she thought could help my foot issue). You could tell the staff is truly knowledgeable. I never felt rushed or pressured to buy anything (I did go on a weekday night, and the store was relatively empty, which was nice). I was lucky enough to not only find a great pair of shoes, but also to learn that they were on sale! I found the shoe pricing very reasonable for a higher-end running store. I do wish they had pricing listed ON the shoes, though (I didn't find out until I got to the register) and the other items sold there (clothing, exercise bars, etc.) could definitely be purchased more cheaply elsewhere, although that is to be expected. Overall, I had an excellent experience at PRR, love my new shoes, and will be back in six months for another pair! read more

Love this place! Friendly and staff knows their products and is able to make recommendations. On top of that they will donate your old running shoes to charity. They also have opportunities to run in club, events and volunteer! read more

Wonderful staff and great selection. Ashley spent over an hour helping me find the perfect shoe. I'm a senior, and I have problem feet. I can't function at all in poorly fitting shoes. I love this store. read more

This place was fantastic. I wandered in about 3pm. Not only did the salesperson want to reconfirm my feet, but she also presented several options for directions that I might want to take my running. Then, after working through that, she had multiple options to work with. I was very impressed with my shoes--just took them for my first run. Their supply was a little low, but since retailers don't carry a lot over at the end of the year for tax purposes, I'll ignore that on this review. read more

Everyone was super helpful and very friendly. They were interested in all the weird aspects of running my sister and I brought up. For motivation they even helped my running scared sister feel better about getting in shape! 10/10 lifetime customer. read more

I love Potomac Running! Lovely, knowledgeable friendly staff - perfect recommendations. I've found my running store :)

The staff at this location are great! Everyone is always friendly and nice - I've never felt uncomfortable in any regard. Certainly a customer for as long as I live in the area. Whats awesome is being fit for shoes that are actually right for my feet and being able to understand the dynamics behind it - instead of being lost in jargon. The Arlington store is smaller than the others but they are able to get anything you may need from their other locations by Wednesday which isnt bad at all. Another great thing - the fun runs! I've been on the Wednesday and Saturday runs a lot and there is always a great crew. read more

So I've decided to get back into running again after doing tri's for years and then taking some time off. While I'm familiar with how my feet and gait were analyzed years ago, I went in looking to start from scratch. The staff was very friendly and listened, put me in some shoes and got me on the treadmill and video'd me after letting me warm up a bit and setting a pace I felt I would be at soon. I got to see the video with a trace to show exactly how neutral I still was and then tried on a few pairs of shoes and got to road test them outside. No rush, no pressure. Some have said they weren't happy with the lack of selection... that only matters if you are trying to match your clothes or if they don't have a shoe that works for you. All of the shoes I tried were solid choices, but I got to really fine tune and nit pick to get a shoe I never would have bought or probably found at a traditional sporting goods or big shoe store. Price was good for the service, knowledge and shoes I got. I'll be returning for my next pair. read more

Been here twice now with my fiancé since we moved to Arlington and had two different people help us out both times. Each time was equally amazing - we were met with a warm reception despite the freezing temperatures. As new runners the intimidation factor of a running store can be high, but they put us right at ease and helped with everything from a gait analysis to helping me find the correct fitting sports bra. So happy to have this store close by. read more

I stopped in yesterday looking for a new pair of shoes to use in group fitness classes...I don't like to use my running shoes for these classes, so I explained to the sales associate what I was looking for. I had tried Nike Free's for these classes but they were WAY too minimal for my liking, so she gave me a few options that were slightly less minimal than the Free's. Of course...only one of the options was somewhat cute. And she told me that the cute one was the one she recommended the least. Story of my life. In the past, I've always ignored the advice of sales associates and gone with the cutest shoe...which is how I ended up with the Free's in the first place. So for once in my life I decided to take her advice...and I am IN LOVE with how these shoes fit and feel! It took a while for her to convince me, but she definitely knew what she was talking about. I bought the Saucony Kinvara 4 (and bonus, she found more colors in this shoe in the stock room so they are actually very attractive!)...I've never worn Saucony's before so I was hesistant but she kept insisting that I should trust her. From now on I will always take the advice I receive at PRR :) Lessons learned: you cannot choose a running/workout shoe on appearance alone, and always take the advice of a PRR professional!! read more

My daughter loves this store so we thought we'd give it a try. The place was filled with young, fit runners...(I remember those days) ....now we are middle aged regular walkers....Meghann was helpful and took the time to explain the treadmill analysis and why she made the shoe recommendations she did. We ended up buying two pair. A great store for all ages and activity levels....no intimidation...just friendly informed service. Will definitely go back. read more

I would give them 10 stars if I could! Incredibly knowledgeable, patient and passionate about helping people find the right shoe. They analyze your size, your gate, and all your shoe complaints. Best running shoe buying experience I've ever had! I was so excited to try out my new shoes when I left the store - and I'm not usually that excited to go running! Shoes are awesome! I actually look forward to putting them on! read more

Phenomenal service, and great expertise! Ray, Phil and team held a run clinic for the program I coach, and I could not believe the quality of service, and the helpful information provided. What wonderful staff - I will certainly be coming to this store for all my future run needs, and encouraging my athletes to do so as well! Thank you to the PRR team for such great service! read more

I went in yesterday to buy a new pair of training shoes. As I had never been assessed there, the sales associate, Brian, had me run and walk on a treadmill to figure out which type of shoe would fit me best. He knew what he was talking about and got a pair that was affordable and was a great fit. I ran in them the same day and did not have the aches in my feet I usually get after running. I will be shopping with Potomac River Running for every pair of shoes I buy as long as I'm in the area. read more