{"id":105148,"date":"2026-01-19T22:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/105148\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T22:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:37:09","slug":"staten-island-on-the-run-can-the-borough-once-again-support-a-running-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/105148\/","title":{"rendered":"Staten Island on the Run: Can the borough once again support a running store?"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Since the end of the Covid era, running has once again \u201cboomed\u201d across America. <\/p>\n

Despite what some say are outrageous signup fees, road races have also grown exponentially, with last year\u2019s TCS NYC Marathon drawing almost 60,000 participants who pay thousands of dollars each to enter.<\/p>\n

The same can be said of the explosive growth of the running shoes, apparel, and other related products, with the running shoe companies spending billions in competition selling their products to willing customers nationwide.<\/p>\n

Alongside approximately 6,500 athletic stores, there are also over 900 running specialty small-business shops through the country as well. <\/p>\n

The biggest chain, Fleet Feet, just entered its 50th anniversary in business, replete with over 300 stores nationwide alongside Marathon Sports stores, which were bought by Fleet Feet in 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look at participation rates, and races continue to skyrocket. I think consumers still want that deeper connection and community [and I think that\u2019s] squarely where we [sort of] fit in with that,\u201d said Fleet Feet CEO Joey Pointer.<\/p>\n

Yet Staten Island, vibrant with close to 600,000 inhabitants, has not had a running store for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n

For 15 years during the first \u201cBoom\u201d, \u201cRunner\u2019s World\u201d was located on New Dorp Lane from the late 1970s until the early 1990s.<\/p>\n

\"JoeRunners World running store owner Joe Sefershayan (right) poses outside his store in New Dorp in 1991<\/p>\n

With his dad, Ed, Joe owned the running store where runners and walkers of all ages and abilities would go to purchase running products. <\/p>\n

Both Sefershayans also put on the annual \u201cRunner\u2019s World 10Km Race,\u201d a tough challenging, hilly course which started and finished in front of the store. The proceeds of the event went to the Staten Island High School Track and Field Association.<\/p>\n

Now, as 2026 begins, could a running store open successfully here?<\/p>\n

Bill Allert owned the celebrated chain store \u201cAthletic Attic\u201d in Brooklyn during those first \u201cBoom\u201d years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ran the store and also put on three races a year,\u201d said Allert, now a local resident and a Vice President of SITRAC. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are lots of challenges here,\u201d said Allert.<\/p>\n

\"AthleticAthletic Attic owner Bill Allert is surrounded by Frank McCartney and Tom Dewey.Staten Island Running Association<\/p>\n

\u201cLocation is important, as well as owning or leasing the property as well as relationships with the shoe company reps and the involvement of the local community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no high end running store here,\u201d said Allert. \u201cSo you either have to go off-island or to the internet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, can you successfully sell products besides shoes and how do you promote the store?\u201d said Allert, who also wondered if one can operate a TOTAL running-only store.<\/p>\n

Dean Shonts, who opened and operated \u201cThe Sneaker Factory\u201d in New Jersey during those years, echoed Allert\u2019s thoughts as well as offering realistic advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to have a real passion for running and be ready to put in many hours promoting the store and getting involved in the local community and go to events such as workouts, races, HS teams and promote the store any place you can,\u201d said Shonts, who also worked later at \u201cThe Runner\u2019s High\u201d stores in New Jersey as well. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou also have to show the companies that you have the money to back orders and be ready to not show a profit for several years, alongside reliable workers who share your passion,\u201d said Shonts.<\/p>\n

\"DeanFor over two decades Sneaker Factory owner Dean Shonts (Center) hosted the annual Millburn Spring run, which local Staten Island Sports Hall of Famer the Late Bill Welsh (Left) and Staten Island On The Run Columnist Jeff Benjamin (Right) raced in frequently.Staten Island Running Association<\/p>\n

\u201cLocation is very important as it should be easy to get to the store and it helps if you can go for group runs from the store and it also helps if you get involved in races and have knowledge on how to put on a race.\u201d <\/p>\n

The major hurdle may be location.<\/p>\n

This writer has always felt that the locations around Victory Boulevard and Clove Road, which is right next to Clove Lakes Park and right down the block from Silver Lake Park has the potential for success.<\/p>\n

The question though remains, paraphrasing the hit movie \u201cField Of Dreams\u201d: \u201cIf you build it, will they run?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

Monthly trivia contest sponsored by ASICS & JAMBAR!<\/p>\n

Please submit your answer to my email below. All correct answers will then be put into a lot where two winners will be drawn randomly. One winner receives a pair of ASICS running shoes and the second a free 12 Bar Variety box of JAMBAR (https:\/\/jambar.com\/) energy bars.<\/p>\n

Congrats to last month\u2019s winners Brigid Howley (ASICS) and Dave Michaels (Jambar).<\/p>\n

This month\u2019s question<\/p>\n

Can you identify TWO of these runners from the Athletic Attic Running Team from the late 1970s?<\/p>\n

\"AthleticTeam members representing Athletic Attic.Staten Island Running Association<\/p>\n

Good luck and see you all next month. Keep running!<\/p>\n

Questions, comments, upcoming news? Please feel free to email Jeff at mailto:rbenja726@aol.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Since the end of the Covid era, running has once again \u201cboomed\u201d across America.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":105149,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-105148","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}