Amazing place that I've come to appreciate more and more over that last half year or so that I've been running. I'm usually intimidated by specialized stores, especially when I'm new to something, but I was made to feel so welcome here. Kurt helped me get into my first pair of running shoes. He was patient and knowledgeable, no sales pressure at all, and offered a lot to think about when I was being indecisive. I had been wearing random athletic-esque shoes for my recreational jogging, and running shoes made all the difference! I was worried the shoes would have a higher retail markup because it's a smaller store but they were just at regular retail price. Yes, maybe I could have saved a few dollars using a coupon at rei or something, but I wouldn't have been able to run around the spacious interior and I wouldn't have felt comfortable spending over an hour trying on possibly every shoe they have in multiple sizes multiple times. That was more than worth the nominal savings to feel confident in my purchase. But even if I wasn't, they let you exchange used shoes within a month if they aren't working out for you. The other thing I appreciate most about them is how present they are in the local running community. They sponsor a run club and a training group that I joined and for the last race we ran, they sponsored free photo downloads from the race! During the training, we often met inside the store hours before they were open, which was so nice on cold mornings. I'm so happy there's a store in our area that's so supportive for long-time and beginner runners alike. Great place to get your first or hundredth pair of shoes. read more

What a tremendous experience. We haven't been in since it switched over from South Sound Running to Fleet Feet, so it's been a while. We were immediately greeted by Maja (pronounced Maya) and she got us started with some scans of our feet in order to narrow down the selection to our optimal choices. My wife and I have peculiar feet sizes, and Maja made it feel easy. She kept getting us different colors, widths, etc and never once seemed overwhelmed or exhausted in the process. She laughed a lot and made us feel incredibly comfortable. Don't hesitate to pop in for new athletic shoes. Spending a little time to experience Maja's customer service and get settled into the absolutely correct shoe for your foot will be worth it! read more

Terrible customer service. I would recommend going to any other running store for your needs. There's a lot of options in Thurston County.

Great selection! Knowledgeable employees highly recommended! New store now is known as fleet feet

Amazing experience with the gentlemen! I forgot his name but so knowledgeable! So kind and relatable to running and whatever stage your at in your exercise routine! read more

We are very lucky to have this fantastic resource in our community. There is a pretty decent selection of high end running shoes and nice running clothing, socks, gear, etc. I love that you are personally fitted and offered suggestions for the shoes that appears to match your stride, use, and preference/feel. I feel like the employees really take their time with you making sure you get the exact shoe you are looking for. They also have a 30 day return policy, so that makes buying the shoes a no brainer. They lose a star because HOLY MOLY the normal prices are expensive. I can get the shoe cheaper on line but I prefer brick and mortar stores and love how involved this business is in our community. They do have a decent supply of on sale shoes but they aren't usually the ones that are the best for serious runners. All in all, I love this place! read more

Very knowledgeable and helpful staff! I am starting to run following a knee surgery and just bought a pair of shoes online. I wanted to verify that I'm in the correct shoe. After trying another pair on in the store, the salesman concluded that I'm currently already in the right shoe. He didn't try to sell me anything additionally and I walked out knowing I have the right shoe and spending $0. They've earned my trust for future sales! read more

I used to be in industrial sales and my family hears me complain that retail clerks don't know how to sell these days. They don' know their products, their inventory nor even want to help a customer. The first point of customer contact is at the cash register. Robots and ones who can' even do simple making of change. But I digress ..... All the above is not so for South Sound Running. They are genuinely interested in fitting you into a shoe that fits and for the application you need. 99% of their customers are runners, the rest of us are walkers or people who are on their feet all day. Time is taken to learn what you are needing the shoes for by LISTENING to the customer and also observing your running or walking motion. They won't pull out one shoe but may pull out many shoes until you feel you have a comfortable fit. Now here is the best part: there is a 30 day / no questions asked exchange policy on shoes. Did I say they want you to have comfortable feet? I bought a new pair of walkers. Three days later, in the warm weather, my feet swelled enough to where I had sore toes. I brought the shoes back (now used) and got a 1/2 size larger. I wore these around the house and still wasn't happy (at least I did not wear them outside as the first pair). Back I went today and after 4 or 5 different shoes and brands were brought out, success ! They care about their customers having a successful running (or walking) experience and know that is impossible with ill fitting shoes. They stand by their sales and listen to the customers. I don't know what better compliment and recommendation I can make beyond that. Added to my "I hate franchises" list read more

Thought it odd & was disappointed this shop doesn't carry even one low drop option of running shoe. I have knee and back problems and absolutely rely on Saucony's 4mm drop styles, mainly the Freedom, as do so many runners I know. 8-12 mm heel heights don't work for everyone. Perhaps time to update your inventory. read more

Ask for Russell! A runner of 30+ years, who has turned into a walker...I consider myself a good judge of running shoes, but every once and a while I do get pleasantly surprised. Russell surprised me. If I could say anything negative, "why no free coffee? (joke) read more

The customer service here is fantastic! I was looking for a running or walking shoe when I went in. I was assisted by a very pleasant man who had me try in various shoes. Each time I walked around and we talked about any concerns with the shoe fitting my foot properly. After several shoes, I decided on one. The assistant assured me that if within 30 days after my purchase I am not happy, I can return the shoes and try a different pair. That's great customer service! I'll definitely recommend them to others! read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review for them yet! Ok, so first off, you need to know that I am NOT a runner. Or athlete. Or even vaguely athletic. I'm the person that finds about any excuse to not exercise. That said, I need a good shoe because of back and knee problems. I have a standing desk at work for health reasons, and I need a shoe that I can stand in most of the day. My wife heard about this store from a friend and strongly suggested that I go here. Luckily, she warned me in advance about what the process is like - its fantastic, but it is unlike anything else I have ever experienced at any shoes store! The staff person (all of whom I have talked to are SERIOUS about running and the science of shoes) will have you take off your shoes, roll up your pants so they can see what your ankle is doing, and have you walk away from them and then towards them, so they can see exactly what your feet are doing - how they hit the ground, how the hold you up, if they tend to lean to one side, etc. They will also measure you and talk to you about what activities you will be doing and problems you have had in the past. Then they will bring out a few shoes that they think will work for YOU. For the structure of your foot, NOT what color you want. This is all about function. They will have you try on the first pair, and then walk away from them and then towards them, so they can see how your foot is doing in the shoe. Everytime I have been here, they are able to tell me what my foot was doing without me saying a word! They would ask, "does it feel like your heel is slipping?" and so on. Then they would bring out another pair based on what had just happened. And so on, until through the process of fine tuning your magically find yourself with the best possible pair of shoes for YOU on your feet. For me, this means a very narrow shoe with good cinching to keep my ankle in the shoe, and good arch support (for somebody else, it would be an entirely different shoe). Before going here, I always wore insoles. Though the conversation with the staff person, I found out that insoles can actually be a problem because they either don't support in the right part of the foot (just the arch, which is not enough), or they can even make the muscles atrophy because they stop doing the work of holding up the foot! I did notice that my first pair here my feet would get tired, but I can tell they have strengthened because they aren't tired any more and when I try to wear my old insoles I can tell my foot muscles aren't engaged and it has become uncomfortable - like my foot muscles are limp noodles, and they can't do their job as well. Besides the arch support and width, they also pay a lot of attention to the toe box (how much room you need up front) versus the ankle (how much room you need in back - this can be very different), as well as how soft the different sections of the sole are (for if you pronate, etc) and how stiff the over all sole is (for how strong your ankles are and how much support you need), and much much more. For the first time in my LIFE I found out what is was to have a shoe that fits RIGHT. I dont' even notice I am wearing shoes most of the time!! I thought my shoes fit before - I was wrong. Now when I try to wear my other shoes, I can tell they don't fit right, because the shoes I got here are so perfect! Now keep in mind, these will not necessarily be the color you want. But your feet (and back) will thank you. read more

My husband spends way too much money here. That's cool, though, since he has no "bad" habits. The staff is extremely knowledgeable (and fast). They'll spend lots of time fitting you and watching you run across the store, but it's definitely a better shopping experience if there are no other customers there. Running shoes are spendy, but we like to support the local vendor! read more

After years of shopping for and wearing ill fitted workout shoes from wherever, South Sound Running fit my funky shaped feet in the most comfortable athletic shoe I've ever worn. There's something so super wonderful about small specialty stores. I feel like Cinderella ready to get my workout on. Thanks for being great listeners and not making fun of my feet. Highly recommend! read more

Great staff, high quality products and no pressure. This is a runners running store and if you want a great experience go see these guys

This place is fantastic if you want someone to help fit you for shoes! I had no idea what kind of running shoe I needed to wear. They do a gait analysis by monitoring how you walk and use their expertise to judge what shoe would be best. This was EXACTLY what I needed and I ended up leaving with a PERFECT shoe! I wish we had this store in NC bc I know several people who would benefit from it! I would recommend you come here if you need help finding that perfect shoe for running. read more

They helped me get a pair of running shoes that worked with the way I run. They watched me run back and forth in their shop and then matched what I needed to a certain type of shoe. My only complaint is the color variety isn't much. If you're looking for a certain shoe this is the place to go, just don't expect a wide variety of colors though. read more

My husband & I walked in & patiently stood there for 20 minutes & the 3 workers never even acknowledged us! Not even a hello, smile or anything! There were only a few customers in store too so there's no excuse for the lack of service. People walked in AFTER us were greeted and helped. Not even a word when we turned to loudly leave the store. Will not be returning. read more

South Sound Running is a great place to buy your running shoes. I like supporting local businesses, but also love having these guys help me with my running shoe purchases because they listen. And they let you return your shoes within 30 days if they don't work out. I recently bought a pair of Asics and wanted so much to love them, but my left foot rebelled loudly. I took them back after three runs and they gave me a pair of Brooks to try. I couldn't be happier with my Brooks. Thanks, guys. Keep up the great work! read more

Where's the beef? They moved into the large space next door to their former location, where the health food store used to be. I went in today and all I could see was running clothing, until I finally discovered a small selection of running shoes in the back corner. The salesperson assured me that there were "more in the back." I told him I was thinking of cross trainers, and he gave a snooty reply that they specialized in running shoes. That was all they had. Okay, so I guess Olympia runners don't lift weights before running. He asked if I ran, and I replied that I had stopped a couple of years ago, but I used to run back when Tinley was winning the Iron Man. He got a blank look on his face. I said, "The guy who won the Iron Man twice? Had his own line of running clothes?" He asked, "Was that the Kona Iron Man." I told him that back then, it was the only Iron Man. I decided that if I brought up Benoit, Salazar, or Shorter, I would be dating myself. He seemed like a nice young guy, but he didn't seem to know a lot about shoes. I tried on a pair of New Balances, and he felt the toes and said they fit great. Wrong. They were too small. I went with the next size up, and was happy with the shoes. The shoes were $150, so the sales clerk had to make a big production of squinting at my credit card and driver's license. Either they must get ripped off a lot, or I just look suspicious. It's a nice little business, but I'm not sure there's a lot of value added. read more

I'm a complete newbie when it comes to running, and these guys fitted me with a pair of Nike Oregon Project kicks that are AWESOME! I've been recovering from a badly broken leg and these shoes have made the transition to running as easy as I can imagine. All the cushion in the right places. Thank you so much for taking the time to get me a pair I now love. read more

I want start by saying I work in customer service, so I tend to be have a good understanding of quality customer service. My experience at South Sound Running in Tumwater was anything but quality. My girlfriend and I were looking to train for marathon so we decide to get fitted for a running shoe. We walked into the store and were greeted right away. After trying on a few pairs of shoes we found a pair we liked. Upon purchasing the shoes we were told we had a thirty day warranty if for some reason the shoe wasn't to our liking we could return them. On our first run my girlfriends foot started bothering her. After the run she noticed that one of the 9 1/2 shoes she had purchased was a size 9. We Went to return the 9 for a 9 1/2 but South Sound Running had sold out of the shoe. We were told that there was nothing they could do and they would call us when the next shipment came in. We told them that wasn't going to work so they called their Tacoma store which they had the shoe available. We were told the would be available for pick up the following day. She showed up the next day to exchange the shoes and they forget to have them sent down. They apologized again and told us to come in tomorrow to pick them up. We won't be bringing our business locally to South Sound Running again. read more