Grant Bryant, 41
Shoe Dog, Owner: The Run Store(s), House of Speed

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The first of its kind in the world, House of Speed has quickly caught the attention of the running world. Proudly standing on a corner of the tranquil yet trendy neighbourhood of Chelsea Village in Cape Town, a unique store – the creation of Grant Bryant and Roger Zeino, on the back of the success of their three The Run Stores – awaits not just any runner, but particularly those with speed on their mind. We found out more about Bryant and this exciting store concept. 

Runner’s World: What was the inspiration behind House of Speed?

Grant Bryant: We wanted to do something exciting and unique. It is risky, though; speed will always be a category within the sport, but who knows how long the carbon-plated shoe appetite will last. It could fade away, and then the next big thing appears, so this is going to have to be a store that evolves on a continuous basis. 

Our other Run Stores are beautiful in their execution, with the tar on the one side and gravel on the other, but that would be very difficult to try and change. We’ve created House of Speed with a modular design, which is a lot more dynamically suited to changing things up. 

RW: What’s the response been from your peers? 

GB: The day it opened, I got a message from one of the guys at the head office of New Balance in the USA. He’d seen some images on Facebook, and told me what he was seeing was next level! We also got feedback from a few shoe designers we’ve met throughout the years, and they all think it’s a revolutionary idea.

 

RW: If it’s a store for speed, do you only cater for the needs of fast runners?

GB: Our philosophy is to never sell anyone the wrong shoe. It’s about creating relationships, as we want them to keep coming to our stores. If we feel the specific shoes we stock here are not suited to a person’s needs, we’ll get the more relevant shoe from one of our Run Stores by the next day at the latest. 

But plated shoes are very popular right now. In the big marathons, like New York and Amsterdam, we’ve had research feedback that over sixty percent of the runners are taking part in some form of plated shoe. And we have well trained staff and methods for testing, so we can give great insight and draw on valuable experience to match a runner to their speedy shoe needs. 

It’s the small nuances that need to be picked up, when a runner is on our treadmill. Something like a slight knee dip or hip dip can make all the difference; and that’s the kind of technical form we’re looking for. 

Next month we’ll have a coffee shop through that door over there <itals>[pointing to another room],<end itals>and the goal is to use this as a bit of a clubhouse. So House of Speed stocks great gear, but is also the perfect place to meet to start your run and to hang out with those who share the passion of running. We feel this store is well suited to that, as it’s in the suburbs, so it’s an easier running environment around here. 

RW: Carbon shoes are pricey. Do you still attract a lot of customers?

GB: In tough economic times, running as a sport gets more popular. Even though the barrier to entry is higher than it’s ever been, it’s still a lot lower than for almost any other sport; so we have a lot of interest in our shoes.

 

RW: Without any deliberating, quickly point to your favourite pair of shoes in the store!

GB: Aaaaaahh… (He jumps up from his seat and grabs the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 from a promotional display in the store window) Just look at these. And feel them! Amazing shoe. 

RW: What triggered your passion for running?

GB: I studied various aspects of sports science, and was a sprinter – 100m and 200m – as a youngster, before a nasty knee injury on a trail run. While studying I was working in retail, and I learned a lot from the stores I worked in. I decided opening a store was something I was keen to do. So partnering with Roger Zeino, and his creative exuberance… we made it a reality!

RW: Your stores are clearly beyond the average running-shoe store in many ways. When it comes to design, what other shops inspired you?

GB: There’s a store in London called Rapha. It’s a cycling store; but you almost want to go into it even if you’re not a cyclist, just for its beautiful aesthetic. Also, if you look at some of the boutique stores at the Cape Town Waterfront, it’s just such an enhancement to the shopping experience… 

And after all, the price of shoes has got to the point where I feel we should be offering more than a traditional running or sports store has done in the past. 

Find Bryant in his stores @houseofspeed_za and @run_storeza, or @grantcky 

 

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