Fleet Feet announced the grand opening of its new location in Wooster, Ohio, which started welcoming customers in late July. The store is owned and operated by Jeff Henderson, along with his business partner Mike Farris and minority owners Kaila Westbrook and Aaron Olbur, who own three other Ohio Fleet Feets, and acquired this location – formerly Vertical Running Wooster – from longtime friends Brian and Tammy Polen.
Located at 148 W. Liberty St., the store is in the heart of downtown Wooster and is housed in a historic building that has been home solely to footwear retailers since its inception in the 1880s.
The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday and has a number of activities planned along with special giveaways for all attendees.
“As a runner who grew up in Columbus, I’ve been dedicated to making Central Ohio a healthier, more active place to live,” said Henderson. “For years, I’ve watched and admired Brian and Tammy, and I’m extremely proud to carry on their legacy. It truly is a privilege to serve the vibrant Wooster community.”
Henderson began coaching high school track and field in 2004, around the same time Fleet Feet Lewis Center opened. He began visiting Fleet Feet with his team to purchase shoes and eventually started volunteering at Fleet Feet-managed races. Henderson formed a relationship with the previous owner of the Lewis Center location while working at these sponsored events and was later brought onto the Fleet Feet team, eventually becoming the owner.
An involved member in his community, Henderson serves as a board member for Girls on the Run of Central Ohio, which impacts more than 3,000 girls and has raised more than $30,000 for the program. Henderson is also the Executive Director for Rocks and Roots Trail Runners Association, a non-profit that builds and maintains running and hiking trails in Ohio State Parks.
Fleet Feet Wooster offers weekly track workouts, trail runs and fun runs for the community. In 2024, the new location will offer a beginner 5k training program, a trail running group and marathon training programs.
Visit the Fleet Feet Wooster website to learn more about the new location and grand opening activities.
