Greater Boston Running Company

Pat, the manager is the reason I go to this store! He remembers me, my shows, and is always friendly, helpful and a pleasure to work with! He makes me feel good and happy to get great shoes and he is attentive, personable and makes for a wonderful experience!
You can get shoes at any «great» shoe store, however, who fits you, attends to your needs, etc. varies! I’ve been at the store with other associates and when Pat comes out, I am excited and happy to have excellent service!
Pat is why I shop and love Greater Boston Running Company in Newburyport, MA! Thank you Pat!

Visited last weekend after purchasing and returning two pairs of sneakers from two other stores. It was a last resort and I had heard about how they videotape you whie you’re walking or running in order to recommend a specific shoe. Well, the service was wonderful even though it was very busy. I felt like a very valued customer and would absolutely go back and have already recommended them to many others.
The reason for 4 stars? Towards the end I felt like I was getting a little pressure to buy inserts and socks and I didn’t want them or ask for them… it was just a touch more than «suggestive selling».

The staff here totally make this store. Knowledgeable, helpful and amiable. Despite the fact that, collectively, these people have run thousands of miles and in countless races, they don’t possess that boastful air of superiority prevalent in many high-​end running stores. They’re simply there to help you find the right gear and offer expert tips and solutions.
Steve (?) helped me find a great pair of running shoes, not even blinking when I ticked off my list of concerns: pronation, bum knee, terrible balance, and — most importantly — unwillingness to sacrifice style. He also introduced me to Superfeet Premium Insoles and I noticed a difference on my first run.
The store is a bit pricey as they carry the nicer brand names, but the quality of the gear you can purchase makes up for the extra cost. When they have sales, you can really get some fantastic deals. They also extend promotional pricing to students at certain times throughout the year. The last time I was at the checkout there, I was [awesomely] mistaken for a high school student by an employee during one such event. (Note to management: 5 stars for that guy alone.)
The space isn’t huge, but it is bright and open as Kate mentions. The store is laden with all types of gear for runners: clothes, sneakers, socks, water bottles, insoles, food, watches, and more. They also have a lot of information on upcoming area races and running clubs.
No matter what your skill level, if you’re a runner in the area — or want to be — stop by.

The GBRC seems to be a pretty community oriented store despite what the previous reviewer said. I think her review was more about whoever the mystery man was than the actual store. My wife has purchased running shoes here before, and I have purchased misc. items like sandals, and clothing. I am not much of a runner, I am more of into swimming or being off road on trails, and so the fact that they don’t carry many trail running shoes is a disappointment. I however buy Vibram Five Fingers here.
Anyways, back to the review. Every time we’ve gone in, we’ve received excellent customer service from the girl who always seems to be there (very nice dark haired girl) or the blonde girl who is there occasionally. Both of whom know what they’re talking about, are professional, and give advice when asked without being snobby or patronizing. There is sometimes a man who is milling around, who sounds a bit like the person the previous reviewer wrote about, but he’s never there alone. I at first thought he was a customer because he is kind of aloof. He talks to our dog more than us when we go into the store, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person. I wish the previous reviewer had gone into detail about the interaction, because how are we supposed to know just how badly (or perhaps not that badly) it went.
I give them 4 out of 5 because its really a store for runners/​walkers, specifically on road running. It is called the Greater Boston RUNNING Company, but hey, if I want to run off road, I’m sure there are others who do too, and they should broaden their business if they can. Otherwise, it’s still a great store.