Berkeley Sports

The other reviews are right. The owner, Mike, is wonderfully friendly. I’m a lap swimmer and buy my suits and goggles here. Mike is always willing and able to special order and makes a point of calling me when whatever I’ve ordered arrives. Mike has crammed an amazing amount of stuff in a relatively small space … including a tennis racket restringing rig and an enormous range of running shoes. A gem of a place and Mike is fun to deal with.

I come here like once a year for running shoes, workout gloves, etc. The owner is always helpful & pretty funny. Highly recommend shopping local for quality gear at good prices.

I definitely give this place FIVE STARS, the guy at the front desk was very helpful, I went in looking for a pair of running shoes, he asked me a couple of questions to know which would be the best fit for me, and walked out of there with a very nice and comfy pair of running shoes, good price, and excellent service!

Definitely my favorite sports shop in Berkeley! I’m obsessed with running shoes and the owner, whose wonderfully friendly, carries the best at a good price. He also lets you try them out jogging down the street. This is a small business that really deserves its great ratings.
If you ever wanted to start longer runs (3+ miles), you should definitely try on the shoes here and see how they feel. Oasics and Saucony are the best!

This place is fantastic.
I hurt my ankle recently by wearing the wrong type of shoes while learning to hang glide. I needed some shoes with thick, cushiony soles and ankle support. I figured running shoes would do the trick.
I came here primarily because it is close. But this place is wonderful! The person working there was extremely helpful. He helped me pick out some shoes, and retied the laces in a way that would be more tight around my ankles (making sure I followed along retying them on the other shoe). He also let me make sure an ankle brace would fit comfortably by trying it on. And then he gave a brand new tennis ball to our dog which my girlfriend and I had brought with us. All along, the shop keeper was friendly and joking with us.
As I was checking out, I was also delighted to learn that the prices seemed very reasonable.
I’ll be heading back to Berkeley Sports.

I don’t usually write reviews, but I feel compelled to with this place. I came in needing a specific type of shoe for work (I’m on my feet for up to 8 hours at a time), and the owner worked with me and found the perfect shoe to fit my needs. The selection seems limited at first glance, but I found a style that was close to what I needed, just in the wrong size, and he went into the back and returned with a shoe almost exactly the same and in the right size. He was very friendly and wanted to make sure I got what I needed.
Prices were fair, too. I saw a lot of shoes on sale for very good prices. the ones I walked out with weren’t on sale, but still very reasonable especially for the quality. The owner (whose name I really wish I remember, unfortunately) asked if I needed an itemized receipt as I did tell him it was for work, and he made sure I got one. I was in and out within maybe 5 minutes. Definitely check these guys out.

My sister took me here to buy my first shoes when I came to visit her. At first glance, I was worried about the lack of variety of shoes since the store seemed somewhat small and the prices. However, the owner was super helpful and knowledgeable; he answered all my questions, advised me on what fit my needs, and focused on finding the perfect running shoes. I love the attention and care he gives to his customers. After trying on a bunch of shoes, he suggested I roam around outside his store for a while, wearing the shoes I would eventually buy. Moreover, as we were paying for the shoes, he gave me an asics bag to put my shoes in; and he insisted to give it to me free of charge, which was a very thoughtful gesture. The shoes can be a little pricey, but it’s a cozy and quality store, and the owner there will definitely look out for you and help you get your money’s worth.

Came in with 3 inch heels on, after spending the night with my boyfriend. I needed some new running/​trail shoes anyway and the owner was super friendly and helpful. When I asked if he had any socks to try on with my shoes he just opened up a new pair and ended up just throwing them in for free. Squeeeeee! With a limited selection he was able to help me find a nearly perfect pair. Ditched the heels immediately.

I had a great experience buying soccer cleats here — was helped immediately, given a few pairs to try in my size with helpful advice but no sales pressure whatsoever. I ended up walking out with a great-​fitting pair of cleats at a very reasonable price. Would definitely recommend!

Owner is super friendly. He was able to give me some advice on string that I should use and tension. He asked me a few questions and that was it! Only needed to wait a day and was able to pick it up. Quick and nice service. Will definitely be back for my restringing needs. Also, looked like he had a good selection of accessories and shoes.

There is no need to go anywhere else in Berkeley or Albany, or even El Cerrito for your sports needs. Tennis stringing is top notch. Shoes, accessories etc have good selection. Ask for Mike. Low key but v knowledgeable. Nice guy, too.
Kenny

I came in looking for some shoe inserts at the recommendation of my PT. I didn’t expect much, but the guy was great. He made some suggestions that I also buy more supportive shoes, but not in a forceful «I’m trying to get money from you» kind of way, so I really appreciated it.
I also really appreciated that he was straight up and tried to help me save money by advising me that I don’t need ridiculously expensive shoes, but rather, mid-​level ones and not cheap ones.
The guy I talked to also had a very good sense of humor, and was very nice and friendly — he gave me a lot more help than I expected.
The price is reasonable for the quality.

It was a small shop with not that many choices in shoes. If you’re looking to buy running shoes in Berkeley you probably need to buy online-​a little cheaper and more choices.

Local stores are so nice! They have a charm and friendliness that large department stores can just never achieve.
I came in the morning to look at foam rollers, but didn’t buy one at the time. For being a small store, though, their inventory is impressive and even more comprehensive than some larger chains. For example, they had not just one or two models of rollers, but a range of densities, massage levels, and prices. After doing some scouting later that day at other sports stores in the area and also researching prices online, I concluded that Berkeley Sports’ prices were competitive and even comparable to those of Amazon. Needless to say, I returned later that day to buy my desired roller.
The owner of the store is so amicable, and without being overbearing. Win for immediate gratification of buying in person, and supporting a community operation. I can definitely see how it’s been in business for so long.

I did a little Unilocal research before going to Berkeley Sports, but in all honesty I ended up going in large part because it was the only sports store that sold tennis rackets anywhere in the downtown Berkeley area and I didn’t want to drive (not that the glowing reviews were not a good sign). But wow, now i want more reasons to go there! After staring blankly at the racket options for about 10 seconds, an employee asked me if i needed help and every previous Unilocal review came true: he was SO helpful, extremely aware of my budget (even tried talking me into a cheaper racket than I wanted to buy), threw in some free tennis balls to get me going… I’m generally adverse to salespeople in stores because I don’t like feeling pressured and I want to take my time, but this was the opposite of that in every way because it was so low key and useful.
The store itself is small, but they pack a lot in, from tennis rackets to various types of balls to a surprisingly large shoe selection, even some clothes. This store embodies the reasons to support local businesses: exceptional service, convenient, thoughtful product selection, and I know the money is going right back into my community.

Absolutely phenomenal customer service. I can’t say enough good things about Berkeley Sports. I just bought a pair of indoor court shoes here and was again floored by the wonderful service. Jim (thanks Jim!) spent 25 minutes with me as I sought the right shoe. He asked the right questions to figure out what kind of shoe I needed (court not running), teaching me the differences between them and advising me on the fit, durability, and even proper socks to go with them. Finally, he suggested that I test them at home to make sure they were right. When I did and decided they were a smidge too big, I brought them back for an exchange ½ size down –which Jim effected with a grand SMILE and again fabulous service, helping me every step (har har) of the way!

Bought a swimsuit and goggles here. The owner is really nice, friendly, and helpful!
All swimsuits were on sale even though I bought my swimsuit during a heat wave… even TYR and Speedo products!
I’ll definitely be back to support this local business that values and supports students.

«Coach, I’ll play better if I get a new racket!» So many of the students who are in my player development program want to get the newest and most expensive tennis rackets. I tell them to remember that it is strings that touch the ball. Go see Mike at Berkeley Sports.
The stringer (s) Berkeley Sports consistently string my sticks exactly the way I want them. And if I’m not sure, Mike, knows what to do. He can suggest different strings and how many pounds to string it at to get the best playability. When I have a «senior moment» and forget what string set up I use, Mike keeps a list.
With all this expertise, Berkeley Sports has the best prices for string jobs. Like, at least, 25% less than others in town.
Berkeley Sports loses one star since they don’t have a big selection of rackets. But they get the star back with a huge inventory of shoes in almost every size. Open 7 days a week. Support local businesses.

This is what I remember sports shops to be… nothing fancy or swish but extremely knowledgeable staff. I got my racquet re-​strung here after another shop did a pretty rubbish job. The guy threw in a free grip and spoke to me at length about string varieties and tensions.
Plus it feels great to be supporting local business knowing that people who are good at their chosen trade can hopefully continue to do so. A Berkeley gem.

Thanks for Unilocal’s reviews. I bought a tennis racket here and the guy was very knowledgeable, helped me with finding a nice racket for me. After a lesson, I realized the grip was slightly too small for me, and I bought a tape. It was a different person from the first time and he was very nice as well.