Rethinking Recruiting and Retention in Run Specialty Retail

Staffing remains one of the most persistent challenges in the run specialty retail space, and these recent discussions with industry leaders revealed both frustration and innovation in approaching this ever-evolving puzzle. See below for our main takeaways.

Recruiting Beyond the Norm
Traditional platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn are yielding mixed results. While some stores report receiving dozens of applications, others find little success without investing more strategic energy into the process. Word of mouth, in-store signage, and tapping into event participants or customers continue to prove effective. Several stores are now recruiting from within their community runs and by encouraging staff to recommend acquaintances and community leaders, especially high school and college students who can grow with the business.

Some stores hire for specific shifts and ensure candidates are available for these set times before moving forward in the interview process to ensure there are clear expectations for scheduling if they’re hired.

Retailers are also finding new value in nontraditional hires, such as teachers seeking a career shift or older employees who bring wisdom and patience to the floor. Still, finding strong candidates for leadership or assistant manager roles is especially difficult, prompting some stores to look inward to promotion opportunities.

Training, Engagement, and Expectations
Once hired, training must go far beyond footwear. Successful stores are implementing intensive onboarding followed by ongoing education in apparel, accessories, and customer care. Staff meetings, mentorship, and attendance at industry events like the RIA Summit and The Running Event also keep morale and knowledge high.

Recognition plays a crucial role in retention. Employees thrive when they feel seen and valued, whether through simple acknowledgments or incentives like flexible scheduling, race entries, store credit, seeding, or opportunities to attend industry events. Even modest gestures—like staff contests or inviting input on store decisions—can dramatically improve workplace culture.

Structure and Strategy
As minimum wages rise and operational complexity increases, retailers must think more like logistics managers than just merchandisers. Scheduling across multiple locations, managing shift coverage, and tracking attendance now requires digital tools and policies that support accountability. Some stores implement “blackout days” for senior staff, while others set limits on tardiness over a calendar year. Multiple retailers recommended providing a full list of employee benefits as both a hiring and retention tool. 

Clear job descriptions, curated benefits, visible paths for advancement, and honest discussions about expectations—from ideal shift hours to growth opportunities—help create a professional environment where retail can truly be a long-term career.

As the industry evolves, the most successful run specialty retailers will be those who treat staffing not as a seasonal scramble, but as a core business function with creativity, consistency, and care.

- Melissa Vitale, Events & Education Committee Chair

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