In Newport, RI, a seaside community rich in maritime and harbor traditions, some 70 miles southwest of Boston, partners Ben Barlow and Adam Stadel are only three months into their latest retail venture as summer tourists flock to the city’s Gilded Age mansions, 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, and into their three specialty businesses.

The business duo, which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Run Newport specialty store in 2025, recently opened Sprezzus next door in an 800-sq.-ft. space. The new banner, Stadel contends, is the only independent, sustainable store in the U.S. focused on footwear and apparel.

“We are aiming to take an authentic approach to the sustainability category and working hard with key partners to present their products in the manner that they want,” says Stadel. “It’s something we believe in strongly,” he adds while also admitting that it has been a “big learning experience” for him, Ben, and their staff.

The product mix in Sprezzus, a variation of the Italian word “sprezzatura,” which means maintaining a nonchalant demeanor while performing complex tasks, is a blend of performance and lifestyle products, much like Run Newport. One example of a sustainable lifestyle product is Re-Run Hats, where a Montreal manufacturer turns returned and defective hats into one-of-a-kind headwear.

Seven brands – Asics, Brooks, Hoka, On, UGG, UYN, and Veja – dominate the footwear assortment at Sprezzus, which also includes a namesake brand for apparel, along with items such Ciele hats and apparel, and an ALWRLD biodegradable men’s vest at $185 retail. Other brands include Oka, Save the Duck apparel, Seaav and more.

While Barlow and Stadel are excited about the prospects for their new retail venture, they buy for all three of their retail ops, including not only Sprezzus and Run Newport, but also Sole Desire, the 41-year-old independent shoe store founded by the Barlow family. On its Instagram account bio, Sprezzus is described as “the lovechild of Run Newport and Sole Desire.”

Sprezzus and Run Newport are located beside each other in Newport, with Sole Desire a short 30 seconds away. Barlow and Stadel also have a Sole Desire x Run Newport storefront in Providence, RI.‍

What’s Happening at Run Specialty

At the run specialty shop Run Newport, Stadel says they continue to see brand momentum from the likes of On and Hoka, which remain focused on “continuous long-term organic growth” with the retailer. Run Newport is also seeing growing demand for Kane recovery footwear.

“And Mizuno has seen a re-emergence of great products with the Neo Zen and Zen Vista, which has a great fit and feel,” comments Stadel, adding, “We have been late compared to others with Asics’ growth nationally, so we are excited to see where that brand takes us.”

Run Newport has experienced minimal price resistance from customers, many of whom are tourists in the summer months. The retailer also hasn’t had to escalate or reduce orders, or dramatically raise any prices due to potential tariff impacts.

“Overall, the running industry does seem to have a bit of a buffer from broader economic swings,” proclaims Stadel. “When people are stressed, running, walking and being outdoors tends to be one of the things that they lean into, not away from…Our approach has been to stay service-focused, customer-driven, and authentically community-obsessed.”
The Burning Issues

Stadel is resolute when asked if he and Ben had a “burning issue” that can keep them up at night as retailers.

“We’re afraid that the retail industry has dehumanized the customer due to over quantification, sales driven on price, average price per customer, and unnecessary add-ons. This approach, if not done perfectly, could scare customers away from the industry. We believe the modern customer wants to be guided, not told…

“On a micro level, our burning issue continues to be to always make sure we’re delivering a great experience every day—especially now. It’s easy to get caught up in inventory, vendor meetings, and logistics, but at the end of the day, it’s about that person walking into our store feeling seen and supported. This includes keeping our team energized, heard, and empowered.

“Our goal is to make sure our staff feels appreciated and equipped to keep doing what they do best, have fun, and keep that local, authentic feel. As an independent, we know that we must keep pushing and keep being grateful for being in such a great industry with great customers, every customer is a gift, and we will keep pushing for them. We are up for the challenge.”

Checking in at Retail: Charm City Run

Tom Mansfield, President and COO of the seven-door Charm City Run chain based in Cockeysville, MD, weighed in on a couple of key issues when we checked in with him, including the direction of maximum cushioning in running shoes.

Brand developments…

“We’ve seen a huge explosion, year-to-date, with Altra,” reports Mansfield. “They have been fantastic. And we’re seeing big growth with Asics and New Balance. Brooks is outperforming and then brands, in really small numbers, like Puma, are super creative and innovative in the way that they market their brand and the way that they have attached themselves to us and our communities. We’re also seeing Saucony bounce back a little bit this year. We’re seeing a little bit softer business from On and Hoka, which has not been the case over the last three to five years. So, we’re seeing a little bit of a changing of the guard there as far as growth goes, but they are still major players.”

While Nike is “still a small brand” at Charm City, Mansfield says the retailer is seeing “big-time, rapid growth from Nike. We’re seeing a little bit of a re-investment in the channel from them with specialty-only product again, and some exclusivity stuff. And they’re talking to specialty again, which they haven’t for a while and that’s exciting to see. It’s good for the channel…Right now, it feels like they are excited about specialty run and really want to try to work on the partnership.”

Tariffs and pricing…

Mansfield notes, “A lot of pricing has been adjusted in the last 60 to 90 days. You’ve seen most core product pricing go up by $5 to $10. I think there was a concern for a while that it was going to be $20 to $30+, but that has not come to fruition. The price hikes were on the fly, not just with new launches, inside of a (product) lifecycle, things were going up by $5 to $10, which is not super normal. But people need to react to what’s going on out there, the cost of making product, tariffs, and all those things. We did not see a big-time negative response from consumers when that happened…When tariffs were in the news every day, people were coming in and asking what the price of shoes were going to be next week and asking if they should buy two pairs. That chatter has calmed down significantly, and there’s not a whole lot of conversation now about what this price is going to be in a week. And people are not walking in and shying away from prices right now.”

Checking in at Retail: Smithtown Running Co.

For Brendan Barrett, owner of Sayville Running Company and Smithtown Running Company on New York’s Long Island, his most pressing “burning issue” is literal. He wants to reopen his Sayville store, which was damaged in a fire last year. While the nearby Smithtown shop continues to operate regularly, the company is currently operating out of a warehouse in nearby Sayville. No date has been set yet for reopening the store there.

Barrett shared some insight with us as to what he’s seeing on the salesfloor currently.

Products and prices…

“High cushion neutral shoes continue to be in demand, but I think we are seeing a mild uptick in folks looking for a slightly firmer ride. But I don’t want to overstate this demand. It’s not the majority by any stretch, but I do think dwindling options have maybe made it more noticeable for staff… Fortunately, we’ve not had major issues with shortages. We’ve been keeping our eyes open, and thankfully, there are a ton of great products out there right now.”

Tariffs and pricing…

“I’d say consumers are definitely wary of cost increases. Fortunately, their reaction hasn’t been drastic so far. I think many are waiting to see what happens. Some have certainly altered their spending.”