carli e.
Yelp
I received excellent service during my recent trip to Fleet Feet.
I am a large person. Because of this, other specialty running stores have not taken me seriously. But the truth is, I do walk a lot, and the added weight on my body makes it even more important for me to have shoes that fit. Additionally, I have highish arches, feet that don't quite match in size, a high instep, and skinny heels. Buying shoes is usually a miserable experience.
I wish I could remember the name of the young lady who helped me. She spent more than an hour with me, analyzing my walk, measuring my feet, and offering well-thought-out recommendations based on my needs. She was extremely friendly and understood that even though I'm not a hard-core runner, well-fitting shoes were a top priority for me.
Additionally, the workers at this store know shoes. The owner (or the guy I think was the owner), who came over to help, looked at my cheap Amazon shoes and, instead of chiding me for buying sneakers online, said, "Those are actually a decent budget sneaker. They're just not right for your feet."
I was so afraid I was going to leave with nothing. (I'd resolved not to make the mistake I've made in the past of buying expensive shoes just to be polite.) But we finally did find a pair of Brooks that worked for me, with the addition of an insole to help with my arches.
The lady who helped me agreed to cut down the insoles to fit my shoes while I ran some other errands in the area. I've had these shoes for over a month now and I'm very happy with my choice. If you have difficult feet like me, don't try to skimp by buying cheap shoes online or at a chain store where they usually don't know what they're doing. You'll absolutely get your money's worth here.