Iconic Peoria running store named one of the nation's best, according to trade show

RC Outfitters is at the top of its game.

The Peoria-based running and active lifestyle store, located at 311 Southwest Water Street, has been named one of 2024's best running stores by The Running Event, considered the "leading specialty retail conference and trade show in North America." An event celebrating the 63 winners will take place Nov. 21 in Austin, Texas.

“Once again, the Best Running Stores awards program has reinforced the impact retailers make on their local communities and the industry as a whole,” TRE event director Christina Henderson said in a release. “These stores are managed by teams of people who care deeply about each other and their customers."

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The Running Event received over 15,000 nominations from retailers nationwide for its 15th annual awards banquet. The evaluation process considered stores’ "community engagement, employee benefits, mentorship and career opportunities, sustainability and inclusivity efforts, and innovation," according to a release. Even 100 of the stores were visited by secret shoppers, who judged the customer experience.

Adam White has owned the former Running Central since 2007, moving the business — founded in 1977 — from its original Main Street and Sheridan Road to Peoria Heights in 2011. The name changed to RC Outfitters in 2019, five years after opening its current location in Peoria's Warehouse District on the riverfront.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: RC Outfitters in Peoria named one of nation's top running stores by The Running Event