Phidippides

As a serious jogger I would go no where else for my shoes. The staff is friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!!!

Went here today based on Unilocal reviews and the fact that it is the closest to my work compared to other running shoe stores. After taking many years off running, I am ready to start up again and wanted a good running shoe.
The owner was friendly and super knowledgeable and could tell what kind of shoe I would need as I walked in the door. She had me go outside with each pair and test them out, even with different shoes on different feet to compare. She also re-​measured my feet and I found that I had been wearing the wrong brand/​type/​size for many years. The new running shoes fit like a glove and I can’t wait to hit the road!

I was very impressed with this store! I would typically not ever go into a ’boutique’ store for running shoes, because I think it’s way more expensive than Academy and not as good a selection. Well, I was completely wrong at Phidippedes. I just started PT for some issues with my feet and the PT recommended that I go to Phidippides to get proper shoes. (I only run 2 – 3 miles three days a week, so I wouldn’t have thought of ‘splurging’ on expensive shoes.) The owner greeted me, asked about what I needed, looked at my feet/​stance, etc. She personally put on every pair I tried on, and even had me go walk outside the store to see how they felt. When I couldn’t decide between two, she said I should try one of each and untied and retied them again. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! And, the most surprising thing to me was, not only did they have plenty to choose from, but they were the SAME PRICE as the pair I bought at Academy last month ($ 120)! And, I have the correct shoes for my feet (wish I’d had that before, might have been able to save money on doctor’s visits and PT, lol!) I highly recommend this store.

Came here on my husband’s recommendation… and what a mistake that was! Customer service was atrocious, we were ‘served’ by an incredibly sour faced woman who acted like we were interrupting her TV time (there was a television in the shop blasting a cooking show). Would never return, which is sad because I try to buy local where possible. The only upside to this depressing visit was finding a pair of shoes I loved, which I then purchased on the Nike website as soon as I got home. Cannot bear to shop at stores where I am treated rudely. This woman could not contain her disdain for us or any of the questions we had. Horrible.

I’m not a runner. Actually, I’ve always hated running. But I’m almost 40 and decided I needed to get into better shape. I talked to a few friends and after telling them why I hated running they told me I needed to get fitted for for some actual running shoes by a pro. They recommended Phidippides as they are beginner friendly.
I went in and was honest that I had no idea what I was looking for. They measured my feet and brought out a few shoes and had me jog up and down in front of the store with each pair until I found the ones that worked best for me.
The service was top notch and very helpful. I highly recommend Phidippides to any beginner looking for their first pair of running shoes.

Phidippides ain’t your neighborhood «Shoe Town», but rather a comprehensive store that specializes in athletic footwear of all types; particularly runners. The owners, Henry and Shirley Jacques, are not just business owners. They are both avid runners that regularly participate in races and other local running events.
To me, this is what a full service full service shoe store is all about. In fact, other stores should take note. The Jacques are all about personlized service. And in a world where everything is supersized and stores are 50,000−100,000 square feet, it’s nice to walk into a cozy store that still has everything you need.
I have yet to walk into this store without being personally greeted by one of the Jacques. If they are both assisting customers, they will politely tell you to have a seat while they finish up with their customer. Once you are seated, you have their undivided attention. If you are looking for a running shoe, they’ll ask if you have a brand preference. Then you’ll be professionally measured and evaluated on what type of running you do, what surfaces you run on and how much mileage you accrue every week. If you are wearing running shoes, they even ask you to remove them so that they can inspect the wear pattern on the tread to determine if you have any pronation or supination issues. The Jacques are the «real deal».
I am somewhat of an anomoly when it comes to running shoes. Before my back injury, I actually enjoyed running. But I was not your typical slender runner, but rather what I’d call big boned. ;) Runners like me (in the clydesdale class) need insoles with extra cushioning and the staff at Phidippides recognizes this and only recommends shoes that can stand up to my immense gravitational pull and shoe pounding destructive forces. Also, I’ve got a big foot, and you know what they say about guys with big feet… We need big shoes. (Bet you expecting something else). I wear a size 12.5. (Told you I had big feet.) But most garden variety sports stores only carry whole sizes once you get to size 12. Therefore, I had to opt for a snug size 12 or a loose size 13. However, Phidippides carries half sizes in every size, including my all elusive size 12.5. And if they don’t have a shoe you want or the size you need, they will order it for you ASAP. This is what I call excellent customer service.
Phidippides also encourages you to not only walk around the store in shoes that you try on, but to also take them outside and «bust a stride» in the parking lot. That way, you’ll really know how they feel in real world conditions, albeit only for a short run.
They also stand behind their shoes and advise that if you have any issues or just don’ t like them for whatever reason, bring them back and they will do whatever it takes to make you a happy customer. I can’t say enough about their over the top personlized service.
Even if you are not a runner, but just want a good fitted pair of sneakers from some really nice professional people, go to Phidippides.
You won’t regret it.

Phidippides is located in a strip mall in Metairie just off the Veterans exit. This is the best place to get athletic shoes! After jumping into some high intensity training my ankles started to give me trouble after a few weeks. It got to the point to where my ankles were swollen and after doing some research I decided to see if my shoes were the source of my problem. Turns out they were! I walked in and explained to them what type of exercise I was doing and the problem I was having, they pointed me to a few options then watched me walk in them and could tell I turn my ankles naturally which was likely where my issues were coming from. They recommended the perfect shoe that supports my feet perfectly. The problems with my ankles went away completely.
Customer service at Phidippides does not get any better. They let you «test drive» the shoes by running on the paved sidewalk outside to let you figure out your best fit. You can also sign up for local runs/​races while you are there. If you are looking for athletic shoes and also like or need expert advice, this is the place to go.

This is a follow-​up review after I had to return my Saucony running shoes because of a manufacturer defect.
Long story short: the lacing reinforcements on one of my shoes started separating from the shoe when they were about 5 weeks old and had about 15 – 20 miles on them. I called Phidippides to inform them of the problem when they told me to come right in. They considered having the shoes repaired, but ultimately decided to fully replace them with a brand new pair. In less than a week, I was back running on the shoes I loved, trusting that this business 100% backs their products. When I was having difficulty getting to the store, Shirley even offered to ship the shoes directly to me.
Point is, it doesn’t get much better than this!

I came to New Orleans during a training plan that required a 10 mile run. When I pulled two left foot shoes out of my suitcase my heart sank, until I called Phidippides. The two proprietors (I assume they are husband and wife owners?) were extremely helpful, sold me a pair of exact-​match shoes, and gave me advice on where to run. I took their advice and it turned out to be great! This is a store of runners for runners, and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area.