For those new to the store, here is what you can expect from Rackets & Runners:
We are and will always be a family business.
I am very proud to say that we are a very happy family-operated business. I feel very fortunate to work alongside my sister Nadia and my brother-in-law Kevin, as key leadership in the store. Our history with Rackets & Runners started in the 70s when our parents first brought us into the store. As customers, we loved the energy and the customer-focus, along with the huge selection of shoes you just couldn't find anywhere else.
Our community is also our family.
For Kevin, Nadia and myself, it’s about relationships. It is what provides meaning to what we do at Rackets & Runners. With the same respect and commitment we have towards each other as family, we have to our customers. Whether it’s long-time customers, new customers or our Run Club members, our business is an extension of our family. You, our customer, are part of our community that we strive to cherish and support.
For us, service means everything.
As soon as you walk through our doors at Rackets & Runners, we hope that you feel important. We want you to feel valued and that you can trust us to listen to your needs, and ask the pertinent questions, so that you can leave happily with the right product. We want to provide a comfortable and approachable shopping experience.
With that, we know the importance of recruiting and retaining staff who have these high service values. Our staff are our most important resource. We are very thankful and proud of the numerous 5-star ratings and positive feedback we receive each week. We are known for our patience, kindness and expertise.
Whether it’s the customer rehabbing from a spinal cord injury who needs the right shoes, the-up and-coming youth tennis player who needs help with finding the right racket, the adult getting into pickleball, or the runner who wants the best training shoes for the next 10K or Half Marathon—every customer has different needs. Our goal is to match the product or service to the customer, so that barriers to fitness are minimized or removed.
Bottom line, we strive to be more than a sporting goods store; we believe that we can make a difference in our customer’s overall health and wellness.
Community also means giving back.
We believe in the power of community and the power of giving back. We are also aware that we have the opportunity to help others that are not so fortunate, so we coordinate several initiatives year-around including:
- Foot care clinics and distributing customer-donated shoes to individuals in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside under our Shoe Renu Program.
- Donations of gently used running shoes to various organizations, including the Pacifica Treatment Centre to aid in the exercise component of their year-round recovery programs.
- Support and sponsorship to schools, teams or tournaments in the Vancouver area.
We are just getting started.
We are extremely excited for the upcoming decade. Now more than ever, we believe that we are the custodians of an important and iconic retail Vancouver brand. We have become even more passionate and galvanized with the commitment of not only being a store, but a dynamic community hub that encourages sport and fitness for any age and ability.
With a healthy brick and mortar business, we will use technology to provide an even better experience for our existing and new customers. In the near future, stay tuned for online shopping and our new Gen R&R Rewards Program.
Whether you are a newbie or long-time customer, we thank you for being part of our community at Rackets & Runners.
-Vanda, Nadia & Kevin and Team Rackets & Runners
