ROCKFORD — Dave Zimmer, the new owner of Fleet Feet Rockford, is on a mission, inspired by decades of running.
"A day with running is always better than a day without running," Zimmer said. "We know that the activity really helps people find their own finish line or their own starting line. So, by having the store in Rockford, we want to create a place where people can visit and have their questions answered."
Zimmer, along with his wife, Lisa, proprietors of the specialty running store franchise DLZIMCO. Inc., announced their purchased the Rockford store, 1653 N. Alpine Road, on July 1.
The couple now owns eight Fleet Feet locations in northern Illinois, including the sole Rockford location in the Edgebrook Shopping Center.
The Zimmers are working to expand the company's brand and mission across the region while retaining the Rockford store's 12 employees and hiring additional workers.
“It’s the running community of Rockford that intrigues me,” Zimmer said. “We have a motto at Fleet Feet that says ‘Running changes everything.’ Running is the most giving sport in the world, both to the individual and to the community. More money is raised through running than almost any other sport in the world.”
Michelle Adam, of Rockford, has been a Fleet Feet customer since the store opened in 2017.
"I'm just really excited that there's a new owner and it's somebody who understands runners and what runners need to be successful," Adam said.
Adam said she started running in her mid 40s and Fleet Feet has played a major role in her life.
"I've made some great friends at Fleet Feet," she said. "For me, running is not just an individual thing, it's a social thing so going to Fleet Feet and participating in their running groups gives me that. I also enjoy shopping and they have quality products."
Fleet Feet offers a variety of name brand athletic shoes, including Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Nike, Hoka and Saucony, as well as running and walking accessories and insoles.
“Shoes are very two dimensional,” Zimmer said. “They have a very flat bottom and a rounded top to fit around the foot. By using an insole, we add the third dimension that allows us to be able to add protection and comfort for the foot.”
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Zimmer speaks from experiences. He has competed in eight marathons, including races in Chicago, Boston and New York.
He's also been in the Fleet Feet business for the past 25 years, running stores in Chicago's Old Town, Deerfield, Elmhurst and Oak Park.