I was in the Home Depot at Chatham Shopping Center last weekend when my eye caught this year’s holiday décor offerings. Every year it seems that the envelope of tackiness is pushed just a little farther. Technology has enabled a whole new era of holiday overkill.
A few years back, an enterprising electrical engineer named Carson Williams outfitted the outside of his home in Mason, Ohio with lights synchronized to the Trans Siberian Orchestras “Wizard in Winter” orchestration. The resulting video became a phenomenon the internet and subsequently was even featured in a beer commercial. This year you can actually purchase your own home light show synced to music for around three hundred bucks. No doubt some of these will debut in neighborhoods around Howard County this holiday season.
For this reason, this elephant décor item is this week’s scene in Ellicott City.
With all the gloomy economic news it is nice to see a local merchant who is thinking of the future. For as many years as I can recall, Feet First has been a mainstay of the local running scene. The locally owned athletic shoe store has served Howard County soccer and running enthusiasts’ since 1979. Up until last month all those years were spent in a small corner store in Wilde Lake Village Green.
Times change. With the arrival of new competition like Road Runner Sports in Gateway Overlook, Jeffery and Karen Cohen decided to up their own game by relocating into an expanded space at the Hickory Ridge Village Center. The new store is about twice the size of the old store and carries a lot more merchandise.I stopped by yesterday and picked up a brand new pair of Asics GEL Kayano 14’s and six pairs of running socks. The new store looks terrific. For their optimism about the future of their business in Columbia, I made Karen and Jeffrey this week’s scene in Columbia.
Feet First is the only place I know that has the sports items we need.
ReplyDeleteBut it still sticks in my craw that I paid $90 each for two pair of running shoes, and saw them at Kohl's for 30 bucks afterward. The Kohl's shoes were exactly the identical maker, colors, everything.
Feet First is worth every penny I've spent there. Before I started trading there, I had the cheap running shoes and my feet hurt constantly for years.
ReplyDeleteIt got so bad my girlfriend took me there for shoes. The first thing they did was move my size from 9 1/2 to 12 and sold me my first pair of running shoes over $100.
My feet quit hurting, my runny was becamed enjoyable and I haven't bought a pair of running shoes anywhere else since then.
Feet First is worth every penny and I know they will do fine at Hickory Ridge because of satisfied customers like myself.
HH
great store... worth every penny..
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad they are incredibly rude. I went in there one day to talk to them about supporting a local elementary school directory with an inexpensive ad and out of the 12 businesses I solicited that day, they were the only ones who reacted so negatively. My husband is a marathon runner and as relative newcomers to Columbia, we would have gladly supported them if they would have at the least acknowledged me properly. We go to Road Runner across town now and get excellent service.
ReplyDeleteDear Readers,
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your great comments about FF. It is a great place to work and a joy to serve the running community.
To the last comment writer--I'm sorry you had rude service. We all have bad days now and again. I'd love the opportunity to show you how great service can be at Feet First. I work Monday and Friday nights 5-8. Come on in and I'm happy to help.
Sarah