Each month we're featuring an interview with a local retailer where you can find Superfeet. Get the scoop on local favorites, like running routes and trails, plus hear advice on how to get the best Superfeet fit for you. This month's featured retailer: Alexandra Sports.
Retailer name:
Social media handles:
Facebook: @alexandrasports | Instagram: @alexandrasports | Twitter: @alexandrasports
Locations:
Portsmouth & Winchester, Hampshire.
How are you being safe in this current climate?
Our business has had to adapt quickly to the current climate. Our team had many discussions during lockdown, looking for a way forward. In order to offer a safe way of providing a contactless biomechanical assessment and gait analysis, we needed to make a lot of changes that wouldn't lessen our customers' experience. With limited space in the stores it made sense to offer an appointment-only system. This allows two staff and two customers at any one time, in the store.
We have set up hand sanitation stations on entry and ensure all customers & staff use. We keep to the two metre rule throughout the shopping process & each staff member is using their own work station which they clean after every assessment. Restricted movement of staff to different store locations has been put in place to limit any unnecessary travel. We encourage our customers that are looking for products other that footwear or insoles to use our click and collect service, thus reducing unnecessary browsing in-store. The new way of retail appears to be working extremely well and our customers are loving the new appointment system, so looks like it's here to stay!
Why people should come in-store to get footwear fitted?
If you want to avoid injury, have comfortable correctly fitted footwear that matches your personal biomechanics and foot shape, then you really need to do it properly. You are never going to get the perfect fit ordering online. When you visit one of our stores we will provide a very thorough assessment to ensure your shoes are perfectly matched to you and your body. With our appointment system and Covid-19 safety precautions, you can be reassured you will be able to shop safely with our non contactless biomechanical assessment. Our staff are committed to providing you with the best customer service experience, so hopefully look forward to seeing you.
For anyone visiting the area, what runs would you recommend?
Hampshire really does have some amazing places to run!
In Portsmouth, we are very lucky to host many great running events, including the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon, Half Marathon, Victory 5 & Great South Run, to name just a few. When you're visiting our Portsmouth store, allow some time to sample one of our favourite local runs. If you want to escape away from the crowds & indulge in nature at its best, we can highly recommend a jog out to Hampshire's oldest nature reserve, Farlington Marshes. Located within Langstone Harbour & set in 296 acres with pastures, salt marshes and lagoons, there is a 5k loop around the reserve. The views are stunning across the harbour & you can see Portsmouth, Hayling Island & Spinnaker Tower in the distance. Within the marsh land, you will meet the friendly grazing cows & bunny rabbits hopping out of your way as you approach. As you would expect, being a nature reserve, there are birds galore, dark bellied brent geese, teals, redshanks and avocets & many more! You have a mixture of terrain along this route, if you want to keep it flat then run along the sea wall, just make sure it's not too windy as you may get blown into the sea! Or you can run on the grass and gravel, personally we prefer a mixture. There is something about this place that feels magical, if you need to de-stress or find some creative inspiration we are sure you will find it here.
This run can be whatever distance you want. If you fancy a ten mile run, start from our Portsmouth store, head over to the Mountbatten Centre in Alexandra Park, (our company was named after the park) & run along the foreshore which is flat and fast if you want to pick up some speed. Cross over over the blue bridge at Hilsea Lido & that will bring you onto the edge of Foxes Forest often called The Ramparts or Hilsea Lines. Woodland, meadows and fresh brackish lakes surround the fortifications of an ancient monument. This is all off road & set within 197 acres, if you're lucky you may even see the rare white squirrel that lives in trees! Follow the paths and they will take you to the Eastern Road. Head to the cycle path that will lead you to the Nature Reserve. One loop around the reserve and back the way you came will give you a good ten mile run.
Beware if it is dark as Farlington Marshes has no lighting! A couple of us went out for a run after work one Sunday afternoon not having put much thought into the fact it would be dark soon. Needless to say we had an interesting run, lots of giggling & cursing in the dark but it was fun & will always be remembered fondly.
