Pacers Running

I never knew Pacers was a thing, but after failing twice at buying athletic shoes online I asked my friends for shoe recommendations. A friend recommended Pacers to me instead, saying that they will measure your feet and help find the exact shoe to fit your needs. I looked them up online and found they have several locations in and near DC, but this location was closest to me and was open on a Friday after work.
It was the day of a Nats game so Navy Yard was bustling. This store is in between two restaurants, but easy to find. I was the only customer in the store, but that meant I had the full attention and help of the employee working. She greeted me as soon as I walked in and asked if I needed help. I definitely did! I explained that I needed new shoes for Jazzercise. A shoe that can be supportive and flexible through intense indoor cardio sessions. She measured my feet and watched me walk without shoes on, asked my preferred size, and went to the back to get some options. After trying the first one on and mentioning they felt a bit tight on the toes, she recommended I actually go up half a size, explaining that when exercising it’s important for your toe bed to have enough room. She came back with 3 options in the bigger size.
They were all different brands but each were so great! She explained each shoe in detail and encouraged me to jump around and test them out. And even suggested wearing one of each of the two I liked to compare. I ended up settling on a pair of Nike’s. It was at this point that I realized I didn’t see prices on the wall of shoes and my budget hadn’t been discussed. I go to Jazzercise around 3 times a week though, so I knew I wanted to invest in my feet. I was glad to hear they were $ 120. About double for the shoes I’ve been buying online, but they were far superior in comfort! And I instantly fell in love with the color and style. I never felt pressured into buying, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
Check out was quick and easy, and she signed me up for their free rewards program. Every $ 200 that is spent, you receive $ 20 in store credit. And you don’t have to spend that much all at once, it adds up each visit. They had a great selection of shorts, pants, tops, sports bras, and socks so I could definitely see myself overspending here! They also had mens and childrens items as well as some snacky/​nutritional type things.
Super friendly service and exactly what I needed. I will be back again!

I was impressed with the attention to detail at this location. It makes me feel second class over at the Clarendon location! This location has brands I’ve never seen at the 14^th St or Clarendon locations, I’d say this store is more a running and lifestyle store as there is a «more than run» feel to it. The staff member I spoke with was super friendly and very helpful. I noticed they didn’t have the gels I liked and he mentioned that they will be getting more as more custom furnishing arrive to hold them (he also said if I called ahead they could have them at that location waiting there for me). The staff are who really give the stores their unique feel and following, this location is no different. As for some of the non-​run apparel, I was scared by the prices ($ 179 for a run skirt that seems more like a soft-​sided thermal bag just isn’t my thing, but I loved the natural wool sweaters and base layers.) In the end, it is about quality and not quantity and even I will pay the price tag.
Pacers has reoccurring run events out of this location. I believe I’ve even seen some collaborations with the Nando’s Peri Peri (the two most jumping places in the Navy Yard besides the Trapeze place). It is great location for those working in DC and able to bike or Metro to it. Navy Yard seemed dead of foot traffic despite the posh and new feel of the buildings. I see there is still a good amount of construction in the area and like most locations with a waterfront, the traffic picks up as the weather is warmer. I see this location doing very well, sorry to see the Pentagon Row location close, but I know shifting efforts to this areas was a wise choice in the long run. I hope to get out to one of their run events in this area as it gives me exposure to a side of DC I haven’t spent much time. Plus, the only way to truly get a feel for a running store is to «test drive it» with a community run. Running stores are just like running shoes, you have to try them on!