ON THE JOB: Leap of faith turns into good opportunity in Wild Side Running

ALBANY — While maintaining a small operation, Wild Side Running takes pride in making sure people looking for running shoes and apparel can get the ideal product for them.

Chris Phillips, owner of Wild Side, started the business at 2341 Lake Park Drive in October2013. At the time, he had been a runner for about 20 years and was looking for a good source for the shoes and clothing he needed.

“I had to travel to find good shoes and apparel. I asked around, and there were others doing the same thing,” he said.

Seeing the potential for a business opportunity, he left his construction job and took a leap of faith. So far, it has been a good investment for him.

“It has its rough patches, but for the most part, I enjoy coming to work,” Phillips said. “I am a people person, so I like to be in the one-on-one aspect of the industry. The past four or five years have flown by. Every day is different.”

While the business usually opens at 10 a.m., Phillips is there most days before 8:30 a.m. to go over inventory and special orders that need to be addressed. The client base represents everyone on the spectrum from the beginning runner to the avid runner to someone who comes in because of their doctor’s orders.

The staff consists of Phillips and two part-time employees. When someone walks in, the staff talks to them, puts them on the treadmill and analyzes needs to make sure they get into the right shoe.

“We can eliminate a lot of choices by looking at them and determining what they need,” he said.

Wild Side has a passion for community, which shows by its involvement in racing events in the Albany area, as well as the running group it hosts. The runners begin at the store at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.

The running group attracts anywhere from five to 35 runners, and the run will go through the vicinity before ending back at the store, where people will sip water and talk. The result has been the bonding of friendships that Phillips said may not have otherwise come together.

“One thing of the business I am trying to grow is the community aspect,” he said.

Running can be a very individual sport, and Phillips said he saw a need for a group to be established in order to bring those individuals together.

“There is something about having that community of friends,” he said. “It is not about running fast or racing. It’s about socializing.

“(I have seen) friendships developed over the years. That’s what really gets me excited.”

Such friendships in the running community are visible in places including the finish line in at the Albany’s annual Snickers Marathon, where runners who have already completed the race will stay to cheer their peers on.

“That is something I really try to build on. I think it would be great (to get the word out more),” Phillips said.

Apparel and other accessories such as massage therapy, nutritional items, phone holders and lights make up some of the revenue, but about 90 percent of the sales come from shoes.

“(The other items) are great add-on sales, but we focus mainly on shoes,” Phillips said.

The owner of the establishment said one of the most common comments he hears is that it is difficult to go to a store and find both quality shoes and personnel who are knowledgeable about shoes. This is why he said he makes a point of having staff members who know something about footwear.

“If we can’t give good customer service, we will lose to the Internet and Amazon.com,” he said.

The running events Wild Side takes part in includes the Will Run for S’mores, Back the Blue 5K, the Love Run and the New Year’s Day Resolution Run. Some of these are benefits for Southwest Georgia charities, which ties into the community bonding Phillips strives for.

“We try to be very community-minded on everything we do,” he said. “We try to stay as local as possible.”

As part of that, the business serves as the home base for the Good Life City Runners, which is expected to partner with charities one-on-one to bring in more events. Wild Side has also made an appearance in Albany’s Christmas parade.

When cross country season hits in late summer, there are customers as young as age 10 walking in the door. There are others coming in as old as age 85, and many come in on doctor’s referrals. Some may come in during the Christmas shopping season, intending to make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more.

No matter what the circumstances, the right shoe is needed to avoid a painful and harmful running experience.

“There are some who are still active well into their 80s,” Phillips said. “They need good footwear to keep them going.”

The relationships Wild Side has made have been the key to keeping the business going, even on the “slump” days.

“I think about the relationships we have made, and it makes me want to work harder,” he said. “It has its ups and downs, but overall it is a good business. The people who support us, you can’t beat them.”

A second Wild Side Running was established in Valdosta, which Phillips said had to be pulled back because the business was not quite ready. As part of the effort to expand, that is something he wants to revisit.

“I didn’t think we were ready, but I want to re-evaluate that in the next 12-18 months,” he said.

The business has also made an increased effort to become more mobile and take the product to the customer, which has been particularly beneficial to the parent living a certain distance from the store and has a child who needs running shoes.

They have tested that strategy, and it has worked well.

“People have never been busier in all of humanity,” Phillips said. “We take the product to parents who live 45 minutes away rather than wait for them to come to us.

“When we wait, they will click a button. (We need to) stay ahead of the curve.”

In another 12 months, Phillips said Wild Side will likely be going to an online presence so customers who know what they want can make their purchases from home while keeping the money in the Albany area.

Outside of the Wild Side’s walls, Phillips said the Snickers Marathon, Rails to Trails and other projects providing people more places to walk and run will result in more community growth.

“It will be a good thing all-around in Albany,” he said.

Jennifer Parks