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Hawaii will get its
first Fleet Feet outlet
in downtown Kailua

THE long-vacant Pizza Hut restaurant behind the McDonald's in downtown Kailua is being redeveloped to house Fleet Feet Sports, a nationally franchised retailer that sells running and walking shoes and athletic apparel.

The company has 61 stores in 29 states and Washington, D.C. The Hawaii location will bring it up to 62 stores in 30 states.

George and Susan Redpath of Kailua are the Hawaii franchisees. George ran Imagine Tours, a cycling touring company in California, for 15 years, while Susan's background is in the information services industry.

"This venture is to allow me to take my business experience and match it with my love of being outdoors," Susan said.

The build-out of the former Pizza Hut space is underway and the Redpaths plan on opening in May.

The store's 2,100 square feet is consistent with the 1,500- to 2,000-square-foot range of other Fleet Feet stores. It will include a conference room where the business will host health, nutrition and fitness-related seminars with guest speakers, she said.

The Redpaths plan for the business to have an active presence in the running and triathlon communities. "We will be scheduling regular fun and fitness runs and we will have, depending on the demands within the community, different training opportunities," Susan said.

A list of activities planned by the company's stores is at www.fleetfeet.com.

The store is not just for elite runners.

"It is really a community-based focus to cater to what we know to be a number of beginning and established runners on the Windward side (as well as) someone beginning a walking regimen for the first time because of health reasons," Susan said.

The company offers a professional fit process that results in a technical fit for a price range of $70 to $130, Redpath said.