Racefaster sneakers. Photo courtesy of Racefaster.
Racefaster, a running store that offers an array of running apparel and running services, is opening in The Westchester Mall.
Love a good run around Westchester? As runners of all experience levels know, the right gear can turn a so-so run into a stellar cardio burst. Luckily, Racefaster, a new running store in The Westchester Mall, is here to deliver top-of-the-line apparel and services to Westchester runners.
Aidan Walsh initially created Racefaster as a running coaching company back in 2009. In 2014, he met Lindsay, who was in search of a running coach. Lindsay and Aidan decided to join forces to build a retail space and create a one-stop-shop for runners. (Fast-forward five years, and the two are now married!)
As Aidan and Lindsay started designing and creating their own running apparel and brand, they had to figure out the best way to grab attention. They struggled to attract local businesses because their brand wasn’t as well-known to the public as larger companies (not yet at least). “We were left with two choices: either forget about the business or open our own store,” shares Aidan.
Determined to see their business idea through, they opted for the latter. Their first retail storefront opened in 2015 inside the basement of a bookstore in Ridgewood, NJ. This is where they began to sell their top-of-the-line sneakers, running shorts, quarter-zips, hats, gloves, and much more.
What started as a small retail shop underneath a local bookstore eventually grew into a spot at the Garden State Plaza, a store in Hudson Yards, and, coming soon, The Westchester.
When the pandemic first hit, Racefaster had brands beyond its own on the shelves and offered a limited selection of its own product. Although the company struggled financially, like many businesses throughout the pandemic, it impressively persevered and saw the opportunity to transition into a full-scale brand. In no time at all, Racefaster had created and sold its first full line of sneakers and apparel.
The newest store in Westchester is expected to open in November and, when customers go in to browse, they will find the owners themselves working the floor.
“We’re there on the sales floor, we’re working,” says Aidan. Customers are able to talk about the comfort and design of the shoes with the two people who designed them, which is important to Aidan and Lindsay, who say meeting people and working this job every day is their passion.
“We feel like we’re a very good fit for the community and the demographic,” says Aidan, who’s spent his running career training at Westchester’s Rockefeller Estates, which is, in his words, “the mecca of running.”
While growing up, Aidan was a D1 athlete and D1 coach whose passion for inspiring and teaching got him into pursuing his running services. Now, Aidan focuses on youth coaching, and the company holds multiple races and even a summer camp.
“I decided the best way to give back to the sport and to develop in sports is to invest in coaching kids,” Aidan explains of his decision to focus on coaching youth runners rather than adults.
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In terms of design, Lindsay has the eye for fashion, colors, and the overall aesthetic that customers are looking for and that ultimately draws them into the stores. Aidan has the extensive knowledge on how those shoes and shorts should feel during and after running a marathon.
“We’re working our way up step by step, store by store, growing and developing into this brand with a great story,” says Aidan.
Racefaster
125 Westchester Ave, White Plains
