Running Central is a premier sports store specializing in running shoes and wear. The store is well organized and the staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. This is the only place I purchase my running shoes. My tip is to have the staff conduct an assessment on your feet to determine if you need extra support with an soles. I was assisted by Jason who helped me find a new pair of shoes. read more

See all

Ryan was so helpful and professional helping our grandson find the right shoe for him. He took the time to have him use the digital machine to measure his feet. Then he molded much needed inserts for him. All the while, Ryan displayed patience and a caring manner. Thank you so much! read more

My podiatrist sent me here to get supportive shoes due to plantar fasciitis. Ashton was eager to help and quite knowledgeable. She asked some questions for what I was looking for in a shoe, and also provided information on things I wasn't aware to look for. She was quite personable and provided several brands and styles for me to try/choose from. Chose a pair of Oofos slides and a pair of Topos shoes. Prices were comparable to what I saw online at other places. Overall, a great experience. read more

From, the minute you walk into the door to the minute you leave, Customer Service as high as you can go! We used to live in the area and we live 8 hours away from the store! The only place I go to get my tennis shoes. When we travel to the area and I have to stop to shop! Customer service is definitely 100% The store looks wonderful with lots of different merchandise and not just tennis shoes.The shoes and clothes I buy are always good quality for the Price! Later, I received a nice thank you card and I mean a detailed one that was handwritten by the employee that helped me that day! That goes far beyond what's called great customer service! It's just like shopping with great family! read more

This place used to be great, but now they are all about aggressive upselling. On recent visits, they have required that you wear their branded socks to try on a pair of shoes. They then offer you the socks that you are already wearing at half off of the never mentioned $17 sticker price. If that wasn't bad enough on its own, they put custom inserts in the shoes before you even try them on. I was suckered into buying two pairs of these, one for each of my kids. Each kid wore these inserts exactly once before complaining about how uncomfortable they were and then swapping them out for the shoes' original liners. We will buy our shoes elsewhere in the future because I do not feel like being screwed over for unneeded socks and shoe liners when I am already paying a premium price for their shoes. read more

Love this place! No one sells lululemon free people in our area! Plus the staff is always nice!

Wow! What a selection! They have an enormous selection of athleisure wear, complete with a stout collection of Lululemon, Vuori, and Birkenstocks. My favorite slice of the store has to be the shoe wall! If you're a runner, walker, or cross-trainer, this place is a must for your footwear needs! This place is a gem that shouldn't be overlooked. read more

Small business standards are determined by RC Outfitters. The staff at this store is incredibly nice and well-informed about everything in the store. They devote meticulous attention in all they do to ensure the customer has the greatest possible experience. They'll make sure you're ready to take on any goal or challenge you set out to accomplish. Highly recommended! read more

Amazing shoe fitting service, very knowledgeable people, undertook my concerns. Suggested some shoes for my requirements. They even order for free, different sizes or anything you want. It takes 2 to 3 weeks time though. That's a lot. But it's worth the service they provide. If u have any kind of issue with your running or workout shoes/leg. This is a must visit place. Before shedding money on doctor visits. read more

I just had the most amazing personalized shopping experience. Graciously greeted and led to the area to find what I was looking for by a friendly man then Annabelle gave me exceptional customer service above and beyond my expectations. The atmosphere was very inviting and I will most definitely return. Why shop on line when the brick & mortar shops offer exceptional customer service and piece of mind with products that actually fit my specific needs. Customer Service in conjunction with Customer Satisfaction. read more

I wanted to love this store. It is beautiful, nicely merchandised, and on the waterfront. The staff of attractive sportive types are super friendly. Every single shoe I tried on: didn't have my size. I wear 8.5 in running shoes which is pretty common. And, they were out of Newtons (shipment coming they said). I drove an hour to this store since their website said they carried Newtons. So I was pretty disappointed. So I looked for running shorts. I wear a medium. Do you think they had the ones I want in size medium? Unfortunately, they were out of mediums. It's too bad. I wanted to fall in love here but they lost me for lack of inventory. read more

Good products and service but employees do a really bad job of wearing masks and take them off while talking to each other and walking around the store Sales associates are sometimes pushy, and I don't always feel welcomed unless I'm buying something with a high price tag read more

I love this place!! The way they have their staff set up to give you individual attention is Amazing! You must try this store!

First time in the store today! Took our daughter for the shoe tying clinic, which was an excellent experience for her. Then ended up getting sets of lifts for the Mrs. and myself. Every staff person we talked with was super friendly and helpful - I actually enjoyed shoe shopping for the first time in a long time! They do a great job with assessing your custom needs as well via foot scanners and pressure plates. Are they more expensive than other discount stores? Yes. But as the adage goes, you get what you pay for, and so far we are very happy with the quality of the shoe lifts. We will definitely be back! read more

Really great store! I have worked in specialty running for quite a few years and love finding local running stores. This store in particular is probably my favorite I've visited (except for my own, of course). Customer service was great and the inventory they carry is incredible. I know that they do gait analysis as well so that's always a plus for people; especially new runners. We were approached by John on multiple occasions and he seemed to be very knowledgeable and sweet. I'm a distance runner so I was also impressed by the amount of nutritionals they carry. The only downside is that they don't carry Salt Stick but that's me being nit picky. If I lived in this area, I'd be happy to frequent this store. read more

Funny story! We came to Peoria for the Mardi Gras in May Fest. Being now familiar with the areas we finally found parking and was excited about having a good time. My daughter gets out the car and starts to put on the shoes she ran out of the house with just to find out she grab to different shoes and they were both lefts. After a little fussing about now having to go and find somewhere to buy shoes we asked some individuals passerby if there was a shoe store near us and they suggested Running Central. So my daughter (in socks), son and I made the walk to the store and gave them our story... they laughed and sympathized with us and offered shoes on.sale and clearance knowing that we really didn't need a new pair of shoes. Everyone was very friendly and personable. They offered me a flower for Mother's Day and wished us a great time. read more

Wow! This place is great! We stopped in here while visiting a college son. He said he needed new running shoes and so off we went. This place is very pretty on the inside with hardwood floors and nice lighting. We were there quite awhile and lucky for us, they had a play area and some foam blocks for the youngest boy to play with. They do a very thorough evaluation of your feet and bring out several shoes for you to try on and then have you run in them. This son had to get an insert for his shoes so that added to the amount of time it took to get him set up. We also had to wait for service, so with all that, we were there about 45 minutes. I would like to have given 5 stars, but felt like they were really understaffed for the weekend. It was parent's weekend at my son's college and there was another thing going on in town, so maybe that's why, but that's exactly why they should have staffed up. read more

Running central is not a shoe store. It is the hub of central Illinois for athletes of all levels and ages. What I think makes this place shine is the people who work there. An employee, Jamie, spent over an hour an a half helping my wife and I find the perfect shoes and accessories. We had our feet "mapped", measured and our running form was observed to help pick the perfect shoes. If you don't mind spending some money, this is the place to go if you want professional help picking the perfect shoes for you. As an added measure, the staff prides themselves on the fact they make no commission on sales. read more

Very friendly staff. Much better than just going to a random shoe store and choosing by appearance. Most shoes are still cute and better suited to the individual. read more

RC Outfitters - Shoes :) - Sports Wear Near Me - Peoria, Illinois

Running Central is the epitome of a perfect running store. They carry shoes, clothes, gear, and accessories that are essential for runners. They have a wide selection, of larger brands such as nike and new balance. They also support smaller brands. My only complaint is that it is very expensive. Even the clearance section is pricey. However, the staff is really friendly and is eager to help you if you have any questions. I am confident that they are knowledgeable and treat everyone the same. The customer service definitely makes the store special. read more

I have never really been to a specialty store like this but man was I impressed. I finally broke down and decided to invest in some good shoes for running and someone suggested this place to me. Even though one guy had to work with two customers at once, I still felt well taken care of. He explained to me how I run, why my feet hurt, and why he was choosing the shoes he was for me. I never felt rushed or pressured to buy. In the end I got a great pair of shoes and my feet feel ten times better! Worth the time and money to get fitted for a shoe. I would def suggest this place for anyone with specific foot problems (think plantar fasciitis). read more

The best retail experience and it is in Central Illinois. Exceptional matching of running shoes and it really made a difference with the inserts on less stress to my feet and knees. My initial visit was for shoes but have returned several times and purchased several pairs of great jeans and shorts as well as a few shirts. Everything I have ever purchased has been of exceptional quality and like the shoes the staff is both helpful but also not pushy. read more

Not impressed overpriced shoes and outlet clothing the staff pretentious and unfriendly just came in to get some socks bought 5 pairs of features and the staff member douche criticized me saying ohh your real brand loyal then on my way to cash out three other staff WATCHED and followed me like I was going to steal something then as I was cashing out another staff member came out of no where and held the door open for me before my receipt was even printed will not return shop online or just go to dicks sporting goods same stuff for less money read more

Running Central, now RC Outfitters, has been a staple of Peoria's running community for decades. Upon entering, I was greeted and assigned a salesperson to guide me through the shoe selection process. I embarrassingly have to admit that I have not had my feet measured in over 20 years. They had a high-tech machine that did a 360 measurement of my feet, and recommended a shoe size as well as arch insoles. I was able to try on several different shoes and was even encouraged to walk/run in them in the store. Options were limited for my particular size but I do have wide width feet. I would definitely recommend this location if you are looking for a nice pair of fitted running shoes. read more

This place is fantastic! The employees are all really helpful and knowledgeable. I came in for new shoes and walked out with a MUCH better understanding of my feet and what they need. I definitely recommend Running Central to walkers and runners alike. Thanks guys! read more

I absolutely LOVE Running Central! Such a great atmosphere! I can genuinely tell that the entire staff truly cares about each and every customer's experience- they really want what is best for you, and that I appreciate! I have boughten numerous items from RC, and I have never been disappointed! I really, really recommend visiting Running Central. You won't regret it! read more

I was in this store and trying out the massage chair that says you are allowed to demo it. We even had permission from a kind female employee to listen to the headphones and try out the chair. I don't remember her name but if I did I would ask you to give her a raise. But then this extremely rude employee I think named John, maybe with last initial of K. As he walked over we demoed a spray that was on display. He instantly goes "can you stop spraying that?". We go "oh we thought it was a scented thing." He made a judgy face and said in a very condescending tone "did you ask to use that chair?" We said "yes a woman earlier told us we could." And he then went "ok." As I was walking backwards I tripped a sign on accident and again more judgement. He goes "we want you in the store but come on guys." I don't feel welcomed into this store if I am scolded for trying out display items, especially with permission. Every other employee was extremely nice but him, but I didn't feel allowed in the store so I left. Please address this, I feel likes it's not best to have an employee wanting customers out of the store for trying things out. read more

Great to support local business. Decent selection of running shoes. Well trained staff. Only issue I have is the gift card system. With all the money poured into this great location, it has the absolute worst gift card tracking system. Time to bring the technology to 2015 instead of hand written 80's receipts. read more

I want to give some feedback on this store based on my recent experience. I am almost exclusively an online shopper but after having trouble finding some good running shoes online I gave in and went into running central to see if I could get a better-quality fit. I was blown away from the customer service I received there. From the moment I walked in I had someone kindly approach me to help - not in the creepy salesman type of way, but in a sincere 'hey friend' sort of way. Noah helped me and we did this really interesting foot test/measurement system, talked about my exercise habits, and any issues I have, etc. He brought me 5 pairs of shoes that were all extremely good fits, it was hard to decide. And we talked about and tried insoles that I ultimately purchased that have been helping me with some foot pain I had - something I would have never thought to try on my own. I have been a heavy runner in the past but am pretty out of shape now and was very self-conscious about going into a store, especially one I knew I would be working with someone to find what I need. It is difficult to articulate, but Noah did not give off any vibe that made me feel what I was worried about - like I did not belong there. I felt I got the same service/treatment than the guy in there looking for shoes to run his next marathon in. The whole experience was fantastic, the entire time I kept thinking to myself I cannot believe the time they are spending on me and I am just here to buy some shoes. I started to wonder if it would be extremely over-priced in the end; and while it was more expensive than online or a box store, the price was not outrageous and compared to the service and product quality was more than in-line. Highly recommend not waiting like I did and visiting this store if you are in need of running/workout shoes. read more

Best shoe shopping experience. Molly helped me and she was very knowledgeable regarding the shoes. Best fit I've had in a pair of shoes. I won't buy running shoes anywhere else. read more

Woah, this is what a running store should be and more! First, location, location location: you're out for a walk along the riverfront, maybe you stopped for a martini across the street and you're ready for some shopping. Perfect. Enter Running Central: your mecca for all running-related paraphernalia/accessories/needs in the Central Illinois area. The first thing you notice is that the place is huge. You've got a large shoe rack spread in the back for all runners/walkers/try-ers. The space itself is very modern and bright, with large windows along the front and hardwood floor underneath. You'll want to make sure that you save plenty of time after your shoe selection to browse the racks of athletic apparel available to you. But first, you'll get your feet properly fitted to the perfect shoe for your body and needs. You sign up for an appt with an employee, who then dedicates the next 10/30/60/forever minutes that you need to find the right fit, feel, and style. You'll get a complimentary gate analysis as well as weight distribution analysis of your feet. You feel well-taken care of, and I'll warn you now: you can't sign up for the fitting and leave without at least one pair of shoes. You can't, because you'll be so impressed with the service you received that you'll feel the need to bring home a couple new sparkling sneakers for your next 5k/triathlon/walk around the mall. And, you don't need to feel bad about dropping that dough on your new duds: RC occasionally gives out rebates and discounts that you can use on your next visit; the more you spend, the more reward you receive! Combine all of the above with friendly, no-pressure hometown service, and you've got a home run. I always look forward to stopping by whenever I'm home visiting my folks, whether or not I have any running-related needs (but let's face it - if you're a runner, you always have "needs"). read more

Great customer service. They analyze your feet and gait using a computer and then suggest the perfect shoes for how you walk/run. Who knew buying shoes could be so much fun? read more