Meet Peter and Heather, owners of The Run Parlour! This community-centric, run specialty store just opened their second location right here in OEV. Recognizing a gap in the local running scene, they want to help runners find products and connect with people in their neighbourhood.
The boutique storefront carries a curated selection of brands, ranging from popular favourites to those that are harder to find. As a small business, it’s important to The Run Parlour that they stock and support other small businesses. “We really wanted to add to the run space rather than just have all of the same old,” Peter says.
The Run Parlour welcomes runners at all points in their journey and aims to be an inviting space for new runners especially. “Running is intimidating to get into,” Peter admits. “The key is really pushing the message that nobody knew how to run at one point.” Heather adds, “Neither of us are lifelong runners. We all start somewhere. Because we’ve come from that, we get it.”
Their social runs, held on Mondays at 6:30pm, welcome folks with a range of abilities. No runner gets left behind. The first social run in OEV was last week and nearly 70 runners laced up their shoes to join. Heather and Peter have been blown away by the community support, but they know it doesn’t come from nowhere. “Anytime you’re looking to build community, I think you have to find the community first,” Peter says.
Following the success of their first location in Clinton, The Run Parlour was drawn by OEV’s neighbourhood spirit. “People are really seeking out community. They want connections and don’t necessarily know how to find them,” Heather notes. She says that their social run attendees have already remarked that running with a group in their own neighbourhood is a liberating experience.
The Run Parlour’s grand opening was on Saturday, July 20th from 10-5:30pm, with an all-paces community 5K kicking off at 11am. The day also included free stretch sessions, post-run refreshments, special deals, and more. Stop by to welcome The Run Parlour to OEV and plug into this inclusive running community!
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