Phidippides Encino enjoys a national reputation as the place to shop for running gear. We don't sell hype, we sell our expertise and experience. We have run thousands of miles in training and racing. Owner Charlie Hoover has run every distance from 5k to 100 milers. Charlie has run over 240 marathons with a best time of 2:26, a 5:18 fifty miler and a 10th place 18:44 Western States finish. Craig, Charlie's business partner who passed away from melanoma in August of 2008 ran over 250 marathons with a 2:48 PR, numerous fifties and 100's and other ultras including Western States, Vermont, Comrades, and the Ironman. Craig was well known in the running community and was an inspiration to thousands of runners and walkers. In fact, all our staff members are active runners which is why we have the ability to help you separate the fact from the fiction. We understand the products we sell because we actually use them on a daily basis. Our mission is to help you find a set of shoes to select from that match your preferences and your biomechanical needs.
Our expertise is evident with the shoe companies whose products we carry. We are a "Running Specialty Group" dealer with Nike, an Asics "Gold Account" dealer, an "Elite Running" New Balance dealer, and a "Running Select" account with Saucony. These titles are earned by service to the running community, NOT by sales volume.
We're also proud of the consumer awards we have won, including being voted best running store in LA by the readers of Los Angeles Sports and Fitness Magazine and best running store in LA by the readers of LA Weekly. Los Angeles Magazine also named us in their "Best of LA" issue as one of the best athletic shoe stores in LA.
Our mission is not to simply sell you a shoe. Anyone can do that, even young inexperienced kids wearing referee shirts, and most of the time that is a disservice to the customer. You seek out a techincal running store for a reason. We use our expertise and experience gleaned from 30 years of running and selling to first determine what your biomechanical, fit and special orthopedic requirements might be and then show you a set of shoes that meets those requirements. From that set you will find that some shoes simply feel better to you due to the subtleties of the individual foot. Those are the ones that will be most likely to serve you best and give you miles of comfortable running. And because of that we have plowed our money into inventory. NO ONE has an inventory to match ours, because we can't simply sell you whatever we HAVE, we have to sell you what you NEED, and that means we have to stock deep and wide in order to have just the right shoe on hand when you walk in the door! Yes, our store seems a bit crowded and jumbled, but we are that way because we have shoes crammed everywhere. One of our customers called us the Harry Potter of shoes - somehow, like magic, we pull out just the right shoe for the right customer.
We are proud of our reputation and do the best we can to provide our customers with superior service, selection and information.. Our customers come from all walks of life and from all over not just Southern California, but all over the country, just to shop with us. There has to be a reason for this loyalty - come by and get the "Phidippides Experience".
Visit our store and see why we enjoy this stellar reputation. You'll be glad you did!
A portion of our shoe selection!
We have more pairs of some styles than many other stores have in their entire inventory. Our normal inventory is over 6000 pair covering 350 plus styles of shoes and widths. We have to have an inventory large enough to show you what you need, not what we happen to have in stock. If we don't have what you really need, we'll suggest you wait until we can get it for you rather than sell you something that we really don't think is right for you.
Hours of Operation: Closed Mon.
Open Tue, Thur and Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5
Open Wed 10-7
Closed Sundays EXCEPT for 1st Sun of Each Month 12-4
