Nestled within the coronary heart of downtown Halifax, Aerobics First has been serving the working group there since 1980. It’s change into a pillar of the group–a spot for runners to search out the most recent and biggest, pop in for a fast go to, get their skis waxed for winter–and, as soon as a month, take part on the chill-paced Bagel Run that’s change into a group staple.
“We’ve been in the identical constructing since 1980, initially in only a small little a part of the constructing, after which over time, we’ve grown to take up all the constructing, and now we personal the constructing,” explains retailer supervisor Matthias Mueller. “Operating and strolling have all the time been our large factor; we began on the peak of the jogging craze within the early Eighties, earlier than any shops have been round. Our founder, Margaret Armour, had travelled a good bit and had seen the passion of working rising in different places, nevertheless it hadn’t fairly made it to the Maritimes but. So she stated, ‘We actually want to do that. We have to begin a working retailer, and produce it right here.’ And she or he did.”
Now, the shop nonetheless serves primarily runners and walkers, but additionally has added a stable alpine snowboarding element to their choices. And it has advanced with the instances, by way of what runners want. Now, the employees is there to assist runners and walkers of all ranges discover the right shoe to serve their wants and match their ft. Lots of the individuals who work within the store are runners themselves. For example, Mueller is a former observe and cross-country runner who graduated from Dalhousie College with a level in kinesiology and a need to assist extra folks uncover a love of working. He began as a part-time worker throughout college, and, a decade later, he’s nonetheless there, now performing as retailer supervisor.
“I really feel very fortunate,” he says. “I’ve had some actually good mentors right here. The homeowners, Luke MacDonald (who retired this spring) and Dean Cheverie, have been superb mentors, and their objective has all the time been to attempt to foster the subsequent era of possession. They usually bought that originally from from Margaret, who began the shop. Her objective was all the time to mainly cross it off to the subsequent era. Luke and Dean have been that era, after which I suppose I’m the subsequent.”
Rising the Halifax run group
“The Bagel Run is a month-to-month group run that we host,” Mueller explains. “The entire goal was that we wished to convey the run group again collectively. In Halifax, there’s fairly numerous totally different golf equipment and crews and teams. Just about day-after-day of the week has one thing happening. Moderately than us having an in-house run membership, the place we’re competing with our neighborhood membership down the road, we thought a month-to-month community-oriented run that would convey all of the teams collectively made extra sense. We invite everybody, and it’s a possibility for folks new to town and new to the group to fulfill the totally different run golf equipment. It’s beginner-friendly, however there are additionally loads of runners who’re coaching for quick marathons or ultras. We do a relaxed 5K collectively after which we’ve bagels and low, so folks can mingle.”
“We wished to help and develop golf equipment in our neighborhood, and the Bagel Run actually has achieved that,” he provides.
Past that, the shop makes some extent of being as inclusive and welcoming as attainable, and that features prominently putting the LGBTQ+ pleasant brand of their on-line profile. “We simply actually need everybody to really feel welcome to return in to our retailer,” Mueller says. “We wish to attempt to have a constructive affect on whoever’s strolling within the door.”
Discovering the right match
“I like getting to assist folks, all the best way from elite performance-oriented runners to somebody’s nice aunt who’s simply popping out of the hospital and desires new footwear after hip surgical procedure,” says Mueller. “We now have such a range of consumers, and I actually take pleasure in problem-solving. Every particular person is exclusive, and so is the answer to their situation, and what tools or gear goes to work the very best for them.”
“That is a part of why our identify is Aerobics First,” he provides. “We would like folks to steer energetic, wholesome existence. We all know that if folks may be energetic later into life, then their high quality of life improves. And a lot of that may begin together with your ft: in case your ft are all the time sore, rapidly, it sucks to stroll down the block to get groceries. Your exercise and mobility decline. Your high quality of life declines in a short time. Our mission actually is to assist folks keep energetic and transferring so long as attainable.”
His finest tip for getting footwear? It’s easy. “At all times strive them on. Strive them on.”
And your excellent shoe modifications over time. “We now have individuals who’ve shopped with us for 30 years, and so it can be crucial, each on occasion, for us to have that repeat buyer and say, Let’s sit down and re-measure, get one other take a look at your ft and see what’s modified,” he says. “The foot is a extremely dynamic and fluid construction, with many alternative little bones, a number of ligaments and tendons. So we do see the foot change over the course of somebody’s life. It’s vital to then modify your becoming issues as that evolution happens.”
Giving again to the group
Lastly, it’s not nearly enjoyable runs adopted by bagels. The shop additionally runs an annual sock marketing campaign in the course of the vacation season (it’s happening proper now, actually). “Our annual Snookie Socks marketing campaign is a program the place, with the assistance of our prospects and group, we glance to offer wool socks to houseless or near-houseless of us in our metropolis,” he explains. “Footwear defend ft, however good socks save ft. During the last a number of years, we’ve raised $27,000, which equates to greater than 4,000 pairs of socks donated to people in want.”
The shop additionally has a program known as #FitItForward, the place they take new or gently-used footwear and distribute it to these most in want in our area people with the assistance of group outreach companions. “As a longstanding Nova Scotia enterprise, we try to have a constructive affect via diversified social initiatives. In spite of everything, we wish to help and provides again to the group that has supported us for therefore a few years.