The running store balancing community and commerce

Having opened a new running store in Edinburgh's Easter Road, can Aidan Thomson successfully realize his vision of a community-led business?

Much is made of the explosion of new running clubs, and the slick new breed of running apparel that they’re wearing, but what about the places that stock that gear? Yeah, there’s also a steady drip of new community-oriented running stores. It’s all linked.

Here, I speak to Aidan Thomson about his hopes and dreams for Interval — the boxfresh running store he opened in Edinburgh not even five weeks before our conversation.

A neat little corner property on Edinburgh’s Easter Road, just a stone’s throw from the stadium of one of Scottish football’s most storied clubs, Hibernian, Interval strikes a bright white pose at first glance. The interior is just as well lit. With a single, heavily-loaded rack of clothes to the right, a wall of neatly arranged shoes to the left, and a center display – a table of well-curated accessories. It’s a good-looking running shop, but as runners, we’re always interested in The Why, aren’t we?

Interval storefront on Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland (© Raziq Rauf …