Bull City Running Co.

Without a doubt the best sneaker shopping experience of my life. I want to thank Mia especially for listening to my needs and history of foot problems. Together, we found the perfect sneaker. I can't wait to come back for more sneakers. For those who want exceptional care when buying sneakers, Bull City Running Co. is the place.

The absolute best. Have gotten lots of supplies and shoes from them! I do all of their running clinics. It is extremely personable and a great place to build community!!

I have purchased my last 4 pairs of running shoes at Bull City Running because they always have the best customer service and selection. I recently tried a new shoe that I had never bought and after 2-weeks it just wasn’t working for my feet. No problem! The kind salesman did an even exchange and I’m back in my favorite Adidas shoes 😃. I highly recommend coming here for the excellent service, friendly community atmosphere, and quality products!

Had a great experience. I needed some better fitting running shoes because my current ones were giving me a lot of problems and Natalia helped walk me through various shoes. She was super knowledgeable and patient while analyzing my feet. Unfortunately the style of shoe that I wanted in the end wasn't available (me being picky so not the store/her fault whatsoever) so I didn't make a purchase, but I am definitely going to return for all my running needs and highly recommend anyone to check this place out.

Awesome experience!! Just went in for the first time and the person who helped me was so friendly and helpful! She watched how I walked and recommended shoes from there, super knowledgeable. I didn’t catch her name, but she had an adorable service dog who was very sweetly sitting there the whole time. Would highly recommend. They are also LGBTQ+ friendly! 🌈
(side note: don’t pet service dogs without asking if it’s okay. they are working 🐶)

Went into the store having an idea of which shoe I wanted. Cassidy was incredibly helpful and had me try on a few similar shoes and found the best shoe for me. Definitely my new go-to running store in Durham!

Excellent curated selection of running gear and shoes. Their races are the best organized I've been to

Everyone who works at this store is so kind and thoughtful. They are excellent at fitting shoes and finding something that works for your specific feet/body/running/needs. They are knowledgeable and can explain the differences between the shoes. All this without being salesy at all - they really don't try to convince you get anything specific, or at all, and really focus on you feeling good in the shoe more than anything. I've never seen them try to upsell anyone. My partner and I have both gone in, we have very different feet and leg structures and they were equally as knowledgeable about guiding us to shoes that would support that unique stature and gait. They even stayed a few minutes late so I could try a few more pairs to get the perfect ones. Will definitely be shopping here for all my running and walking needs from now on!

Jason is great. He reviewed my current preferred shoe choice to make sure it was still best for me. Overall could not be happier with my experience.

I've been a runner for well over sixty years but spent most of last year dealing with a hip replacement and infection. Just starting to walk trails again, seemed time for new shoes. Off I went to Bull City Running and was met by extremely knowledgeable folks who spent about an hour checking my gait, having me try many pairs as they then watched me walk and jog and made changes. They were very pleasant people to deal with and clearly runners with professional training and knowledge. Their prices were the same as on-line shopping. Of course I picked up some new Swiftwick Aspire socks. So today i took my new shoes for a four miler and was pleasantly surprised at how much more comfortable I was. Strongly recommend this shop for anyone who wants to ensure that they are properly equipped to enjoy themselves.
UPDATE: Sept 23, '18: This was the store's birthday sales weekend. I'm into my third pair of shoes and that process has reinforced just how admirable the owners and staff of this store are. You will NOT get away with 'almost right', "maybe ok", "sorta like 'em". These folks want you to be entirely pleased with your purchases and will spend whatever time and effort needed to achieve that goal. They have a generous return/credit policy, and this is all on top of their pricing which is at least as low as the big national and on-line stores. In short, their skill and friendly service is "free" and a great pleasure.There is no sense going elsewhere. Each visit is a delightful experience.
UPDATE: 6-5-21. Ten pair of shoes later, still running comfortably at 78, thanks to these great folks!

I definitely recommend anyone looking to purchase a pair of shoes to head to Bull City Running Co. I've been to another place before this, and my experience there doesn't even compare.

Jason greeted me when I walked in and listened to the suggestions and issues I had from the other store. He then did some exercises to determine the type of shoes I needed, and was surprised the other store suggested a particular shoe. He brought out at least 6 difference pairs to have me try on from different brands to see which I liked best, and then had me compare between the last few I liked most.

I was expecting the process to take half an hour at most, but Jason was patient and spent almost an hour with me while I tried to decide. There was enough staffing that other customers didn't have to wait, and everyone was very friendly. I went in today to check out their Anniversary sale, and Jason recognized and checked in with me to see how my shoes were doing!

The only thing that I had reservation on was buying a final sale item since I didn't know how it would do long distance. I did end up with a regular priced item. However, I understand they're trying to get rid of the inventory which is why they're on sale to begin with.

Other than that, they have great customer service and a great selection!

First - I never write a review unless the customer service is truly exceptional.
I am a long time (> 10 years) runner, but never had a formal shoe fit done for me. I decided to go Bull City Running Company this morning. I was welcomed by Jason as I entered the store. He heard me out, looked at the wear pattern on my current running shoes, measured my feet, reviewed my stance, and observed me run in 5 different shoes. He noticed an unusual feet movement when I ran and asked Kim to also take a look at it.
I was buying only one shoe and yet he spent more than an hour with me with an “I will do my very best to help you” attitude. I have never experienced this level of customer service in recent memory. I would have gladly paid him a shoe fitting fee if he had asked for it. If some of the big box stores wonder why people do not shop for shoes there, I would advise their sales people to visit Bull City Running and learn customer service.

Yes, you can find cheaper shoes on Amazon, but I strongly recommend setting up a fitting appointment at this place. I had no idea what to expect when I made the appointment, and was very impressed with the customer service. Brett was very knowledgeable and communicated thoughtfully during the fitting. Buying shoes can be tricky, so they will help you make the best decision possible. Also, 10 day trial is very reasonable for a local business.

Shout out to Chance, who spent a good long time helping me find shoes that fit my hard-to-fit feet. He even thought of ones they didn’t have in stock—and he picked the right ones. I like places that are for serious aficionados and still respect casual participants like me. Helpful positive staff. Nice selection of running accessories. They have a real presence in the Durham running community.

I just had the most incredible experience at Bull City Running! The fellow that helped me (Jason, I think!) was so knowledgeable, helpful and kind. He took the time to hear out my concerns and needs, asked appropriate follow-up questions to make sure he understood my situation and took the time to really inspect my stance and strides to make sure he knew what type of shoe would work best for me! Sure enough the first shoe he brought out was perfect! We tried serveral other pairs to compare, contrast and eventually confirm that the initial pair, was the pair for me! The shoes were also very reasonably priced for the high quality shoe and experience I received. I’m so thrilled with my experience there, I would recommend to anyone looking to own the best pair of shoes for their specific feet. Especially if you have an injury! So incredible! Thanks Bull City!!!

When I buy shoes in person, this is where I go. Totally worth the 55-minute drive from Sanford. The staff here know their shoes, and they're super patient. Try on as many shoes as you want. Take as many trips up and down the sidewalk as you need. Today examplified why I love this store. I walked in and said "I'm looking for a road shoe, no more than 6 mm drop, light stability with a wide toe box. Whacha got?" The guy who helped me immediately identified four models that met my criteria. Bam! Doesn't get any better than that.

Excellent customer service with knowledgeable staff. They take their time to get to know your needs and let you try on a multitude of shoes. They're dedicated to finding the perfect shoe for you. They have a great rewards program too! Cannot recommend enough.

So, to preface, I’ve never been to any shoe store specifically designed to cater to your needs. This was an educational l, refreshing, new way to learn all about what shoes I need. Got to try on 3-4 pairs based on suggestions and took home a pair I love! Thanks Ellen for the knowledge and help!

They were very helpful in finding the right pair of running shoes for my girlfriend. Their return policy is also great. The shoes we bought also seemed to be fairly priced. I will come back to find a quality pair of running shoes for myself in the future.

A great place to purchase running shoes!  They take the time to ask you about your running, check out how your stride looks walking as well as running and then help you narrow down options in shoes that might work for you.  I love this because almost always, it's not the most expensive pair that I wind up liking.  It's refreshing to have people assist you based on comfort and support rather than just brand / cost.

I also love that it's local.  You see and feel it in the staff... no big company coldness and people that genuinely care.  It makes a big difference.