ASICS

A bit of a wait, but the best and probably ONLY store I’ve ever entered for a shoe for someone else, which led to me actually buying a pair.
With no intentions of me buying at all, my wife and I went to see if we could have someone skilled to provide direction on the ideal sneakers for her workouts and power walks.
Turns out that for 20£ you get a comprehensive, computer-​aided foot analysis and video gait assessment (complete with treadmill video assessment) to link your foot to the optimal shoe types to maximise fit and correct errors in your walking/​running.
While the charge may seem out of line, it’s worth it, light years ahead of what I saw at lillywhites and more compelling than what you get today at any other sneaker store (or shoe store for that matter) I’ve ever attended.
No more kind (or not so kind) service assistant directing you to what looks good. (Our visit to another store down the street had an attendant we had to chase to inform on what we wanted, he retrieve the selection from the stock room and left us never to be heard from thereafter).
This was the best blend of science and technology driven evidence to guide you to the purchase that is «customised» to your needs.
To be more candid I have never worn a pair of Asics and favour other brands for their appearance and fit. And being primarily a «runners» shoe store, I’ve never been that excited about how they look. This visit MADE me WANT to take the analysis and buy a pair simply due to their evidence guided approach.
The next step is to see how this adventure unfolds. Although the results led me to shoes that I don’t LOVE appearance wise, I’m Willing to see if they lead to a different physical result. I’ll actually assess whether my purchase leads to any pain reduction. I definitely recommend the store for the analysis AT A minimum.