Two entrepreneurs in Spartanburg County have parlayed their running ministry into a new retail store.
Jill Morris and Donna Loudermilk will open their shop Hub City Runners on Aug. 6 in the Reidville Center strip mall at 2932 Reidville Road on Spartanburg’s west side.
The 1,500-square-foot store will have running shoes for men, women and kids, sports apparel, and accessories for running and cycling. Its main brands will include Skechers, On, Hoka, 361, TSC and Dona Jo.
“This is more than a store,” Morris said. “It’s a mission… And hopefully we’ll sell some shoes along the way.”
Morris said the concept for the store grew out of the running group she has led for three years at her church—Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church in Spartanburg.
She said the church’s former assistant pastor Rev. Kevin Harrison created the group. Morris, who worked for the church before launching the store, was encouraged to lead the group to boost outreach in the community.
“I wasn’t very excited about it at first,” Morris said. “But I saw people’s lives begin to change. It became something that I loved deeply.”
Morris and Loudermilk, who are both longtime members of Anderson Mill Road Baptist, said they met several years ago, but outside of church.
Through the running ministry they developed a friendship that, over the course of time, was strengthened by their Christian faith, and their passion for running and helping others.
“Our goal is to help women who say, ‘I can’t do this,’” Loudermilk said. “We’re here to show them that yes they can. We both started running seriously at age 40… You’ve got to keep moving forward. Don’t stop.”
Morris and Loudermilk said they began talking about opening the store in November. The idea quickly started to gain traction.
“This was the first (space) I wanted to be in,” Morris said. “There’s a whole story about how we actually got it. It was just amazing to see how God just worked it all out for us. We even prayed that God would stop this if it wasn’t meant to be.”
The owners said they hope to be different from other running stores by becoming a community gathering place for anyone interested in getting fit.
They plan to form groups for running, cycling, walking, swimming and other activities. They will host events and have information that promotes healthy living and nutrition. The owners said there is a wide range of possibilities.
“It’s amazing how God has worked in both our lives,” Loudermilk said. “We want to share that with others.”
Hub City Runners will operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The business will also have an online store.
Morris and Loudermilk will host a grand opening on Aug. 6. The event will feature free food and drink, gift card giveaways and more.
For more information, visit: www.hubcityrunners.com.
