Charm City Run opens first Del. store in Rehoboth Beach

Charm City Run, a Baltimore-based running and walking specialty company, has opened its first store in Delaware on Rehoboth Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

The store opened July 8, and store manager Sydney Seth said it’s been busy. It was a longer process to get open than expected, but things have been going well, she said.

“It’s been busy for sure,” said Seth.

Seth said the company searched up and down the coastal area of Delaware to find the perfect spot before choosing its first location near the beach. There was a place in Bethany, but it was too small for all the products, she said.

Rehoboth Beach has a well-known running community and it’s exciting to be a part of it, said Seth.

Seth said the store offers a wide selection of running shoes – New Balance, Saucony, Nike, Brooks, On Cloud – and other footwear – Okanui shoes and flip-flops, and Birkenstocks. 

Charm City’s goal, said Seth, is to get customers in the right equipment so their running experience isn’t painful. People come in with shoes bought off a rack or they’ll have pushed too hard to begin with, and then they hurt themselves, she said.

“We’re trying to prevent that,” Seth said. “People will show up and their shoes lack support. The goal is to get people back out and not hating it.”

In addition to the wide selection of footwear, Charm City has clothing, energy bars and treats, massage rollers, hats and sunglasses. The company also offers foot fittings to make sure customers are purchasing the correct shoes, said Seth.

“It’s a pretty detailed process,” she said.

Seth’s parents owned and operated their own running shoe store in downtown Annapolis for a number of years before it was sold to Charm City. Seth kept working for the new company, and with her hands-on and through-osmosis experience in running a retail store, she ended up as the Delaware manager because of her connection to the area – her mom has a place in Fenwick Island.

In the few short weeks since opening, Seth said many of the customers have recognized the company because several are coming from Maryland. The company has seven stores in Maryland, she said.

Charm City is hosting a grand opening Saturday, July 23, beginning with a fun run at 8 a.m. The run will be followed by breakfast and beverages, and a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Product vendors will be onsite. There will be raffles during the event, with customers getting a ticket for every $50 spent. There will also be a gift with a purchase of $150 or more, while supplies last.

Charm City is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., Sundays.

For more information on Charm City Run Rehoboth Beach, 200A Rehoboth Ave., go to charmcityrun.com, call 302-278-7034 or email Seth at sydney@charmcityrun.com.