This was once both the best and the worst place I have ever worked -- separated only by time. Both…read moreas a customer and former employee, this place is not the same.
There was a period when Fleet Feet New Tampa was genuinely special. Under different leadership, the focus was on caring for people, not pushing sales. We were taught to educate customers, listen to their needs, and help them make the best decisions for themselves. The culture centered on community, integrity, and service. It felt aligned with Fleet Feet's stated values and with the Tampa running community.
In my experience, that culture no longer exists.
Under the current management structure (with the exception of the current in-store manager, who is brand new and not responsible for what I'm describing), the environment shifted entirely toward profit maximization at the expense of people. In my opinion, anyone who questioned these priorities was marginalized, pressured, or pushed out.
I personally witnessed and experienced practices that I believe are unethical and harmful to employees. In my experience, employees were terminated shortly after requesting to use earned and accrued time off, allegedly because it was "not in the budget," which effectively prevented them from ever being able to use time they had earned before it expired. I also observed what I believe to be retaliation against employees who raised concerns about pay discrepancies and wage issues. When concerns were raised, meetings were held framing the situation as "not being handled the way management would have wanted," which in my opinion discouraged transparency and accountability.
There was, in my experience, a pattern of bullying and intimidation. Employees were pressured to perform tasks outside their job scope, asked to work alone in the store despite safety concerns, and even pressured into running personal errands for management. When employees did not comply, I observed hours being cut, people being marginalized, or accusations of unrelated wrongdoing being raised.
That said, I want to be very clear: many of the outfitters who work directly with customers are still good people with sincere intentions. They genuinely care about helping runners and walkers. My criticism is not aimed at them, nor at Fleet Feet as a brand, nor at franchise-owned stores, which I believe may still operate with integrity and customer-first values.
This review reflects my experience with this specific corporate-owned location and the leadership overseeing it. In my opinion, the district leadership and operating partner responsible for this store created a toxic and hostile work environment that pressured people to act against their values in the name of profit. I believe this runs directly counter to Fleet Feet's core values and does not reflect the moral fiber of the Tampa community.
There was a time when this store was something truly positive. I hope leadership changes so it can return to being a place that serves the community with integrity and treats its employees with dignity. Until then, I personally cannot recommend supporting this location if those values matter to you. This review reflects my personal opinion and experience with this specific location.
