Specialty running store sprints into Kalispell retail scene

Running into downtown a new specialty retail store catering to runners has opened in Kalispell.  

The Kalispell Running Company is owned by Casey Jermyn, who is excited to implement community events, bring more products and give advice to the greater Flathead Valley about running.  

“I think I’m just really passionate about building a community around the sport I love. In a way, it feels like a great way to give back to the sport and hopefully grow it,” Jermyn said. 

Jermyn is the owner of Bozeman Running Company as well, which he opened in 2010 in Bozeman. Since its inception, the company has hosted a slate of events, from brew runs to trash clean-up runs to film festivals, as a way to bring the running community together in the betterment of the greater community. 

The Kalispell shop, which officially opened March 22, features a wide variety of running-specific gear, including shoes, GPS device-maker Garmin watches, athletic wear maker Lululemon apparel and other running essentials.  

“If you think about anything a runner may need from head to toe, everything from hats to Garmin watches to headphones to nutrition, all the apparel, the socks, and everything in between, we have it,” Jermyn said.  

While the shop has items that one may find at other outdoor or active stores, Flathead Running Company’s inventory consists of items catered to runners, from unique running brands to a larger selection of running shoes.  

The store, located in the former Imagination Station on Main Street, was completely redone after Jermyn purchased the building in early February. With lofted ceilings and a new wooden floor, the store boasts a lot of room to grow into as well, Jermyn said.  

Originally from Plains, Jermyn has always enjoyed running but really fell in love with it in middle school. After he and a friend revived the high school cross country program, Jermyn was offered a scholarship to run at Montana State University.  

His five-year tenure as a long-distance runner earned him a spot in the Montana State University’s Hall of Fame in 2023. At the time of his induction, Jermyn remained on three Montana State University’s “all-time top 10 lists,” according to the university.  

After graduating in 2005 with a major in business management and a minor in entrepreneurship, Jermyn worked for Brooks Running as a sales representative in the Midwest for four years before moving back to Montana and opening Bozeman Running Company. 

“[As a national sales representative,] you’re learning a lot, and you’re meeting cool people, but you’re kind of just visiting everyone else’s community and you don’t really have your own in a way,” Jermyn said. “When I was back in Bozeman, I was excited to start my own.” 

After seeing the success in Bozeman, Jermyn had been scoping the market in the Flathead Valley, he said, to see if a specialty running store would be valued by the community. In its first few weeks open, Jermyn said, the response has been great, from young runners to coaches to ultramarathoners stopping by the shop.  

The shop also features an Albert 2 Pro Scanner by Aetrex, which can capture “unmatched” data about feet, including precise measurements and a pressure map, to find the best shoes or insoles specifically designed for each foot. The shop features a treadmill and plenty of open space for customers to try on different styles of shoes.  

Jermyn spends most of his time in Bozeman, coaching cross country at Bozeman High School and hosting events through his shop there. With four staff members in Kalispell already, Jermyn looks forward to actively visiting the area for events and group runs.  

“This is a really special area,” Jermyn said. “The landscapes, the trails, the water... we’re excited to help grow the running community where we can.” 

Flathead Running Company is located at 132 S. Main St. in Kalispell. It is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.  

Learn more about Flathead Running Company at shop.flatheadrunningcompany.com.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@dailyinterlake.com. 

    Flathead Running Company in downtown Kalispell has an Aetrex foot scanner to help runners find a shoe that works for them. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)
 Kate Heston   

    Flathead Running Company, in downtown Kalispell, is a specialty running store. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)
 Kate Heston   

    The new Flathead Running Company store is located in downtown Kalispell. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)
 Kate Heston