Why we're changing our hours ... less is more.
CLOSED Sunday & Monday (new!) // 10a-7p Tuesday - Friday (new!) // 9a-5p Saturday
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When we quit our jobs 7 years ago to move back to Wisconsin and start a business, we knew it would be hard. It was and still remains to be. We also knew we were called to a different life of retail hours and weekends. But as cliche as it sounds, we didn't know how fast life would move. We had a 2 year old, 4 year old, and 7 year old ... now they're 9, 11, 14 (high school)!! We're changing our hours for the first time in our 7 year history as a way to regain a bit of control and margin back into our lives. We don’t just want to be a family-owned business, we want to be a healthy family-owned business.
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We don't deny the flexibility that can come with owning your own business, but the tradeoffs are heavy. Quitting our jobs and moving across the country with three little ones was a step of faith and we remember thinking "if this works and we could just make as much as I do as a high school math teacher owning our own business ... that'd be incredible!". On paper we've seen that become a reality ... although when you consider lack of vacation, lack of benefits, and just the sheer number of hard hours put into this beautiful endeavor, one could make a case we're not there yet if we were paid by the hour. But enough about calculations and the "measurables", we're excited about the *immeasurables* ... both with family and business.
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Before another 7 years go by, we hear a call to savor more of our years together even if it isn't what the business textbooks tell you to do as you grow year over year. And we HAVE grown year over year thanks to our incredible customers and staff! We'd like to invest in and enjoy today, not just tomorrow. The current of our (American / retail) culture tells us to keep pushing. Keep hammering. More, better, faster. Always, don’t question it. So what does it look like to swim against the current and simply not believe the cultural lie that whispers "if only you just had a bit more ____"? Right now, for us it’ll be another step of faith and we believe it looks like being open five days a week.
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Why not just hire more? Sounds simple. A few things … we actually have been hiring, hiring is hard, hiring doesn't always relieve the work, but most of all we love being in the store owning AND operating when it's healthy for us to do so.
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One last shameless plug ... this is not an indication that we're letting off the gas or we can afford to coast. We're not coasting. We're simply focusing and finding the control of when to hit the gas. Five days a week we'll be busting our hump. Small business is getting harder, not easier, and we still need all the support we can get. We still live and die by our margins. It's still an uphill battle and in many ways the deck is stacked against the mom & pop shops in so many ways it'd take a whole separate longer post (!) to explain. We still don't mark up our prices. We still offer rewards to everybody ($50 off every $500... that's 10%!). We continue to offer student, educator, healthcare, and military discounts. We still have FREE gait analysis and service that's been voted best in the area. We continue to special order items we might not have in stock. We continue to offer an online store, mobile app, free group runs, free training groups (Ax Pack info released soon!), and more you just SIMPLY WILL NOT FIND ONLINE OR IN THE BIG BOX STORES, full stop. When you shop local with us, your dollars stay local and support organizations we love like Fierce Freedom, Power of Perception, and more as we live out our mission to "help all people move and live freely".
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Life is full of tradeoffs ... our culture whispers lies that you need everything you want immediately with 24/7/365 access, but we're here to show it can be different. Shopping doesn't have to be maddening or full of returns and frustration. We're here for you. In fact, most weekdays we’re now open later until 7pm! We’re really good at what we do and unlike most industries now days, we don’t ask for tips. The best thing you can do is to simply keep supporting us. We feel the love Eau Claire (and abroad!), thank you for the past, present, and future sales … we see them, we see you, and we know it's a big deal to spend your hard earned money with us. When do you need shoes, apparel, gear next? Plan your visit and we'll see you soon!
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Much Love,
The Condits and all of us at Blue Ox Running.