Sole Sports celebrating opening at Gilbert's Verde at Cooley Station

Sole Sports, a specialty walking and running store, opened June 5  at Verde at Cooley Station, a mixed-use, walkable center in Gilbert.

The store will celebrate its grand opening June 12 with a Kickoff 5k Fun Run from the store at 6:30 a.m. and a Kickoff Party with special discounts and giveaways from its brands from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sole Sports, based in Phoenix, has locations around the Valley including Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale and now Gilbert.

Sole Sports offers best-in-class service products and support in footwear and running apparel.

In addition to offering a wide variety of running and walking gear, Sole Sports offers weekly training runs, supports local running clubs and youth programs, sponsors local races and donates $10,000 back into the local community. Sole Sports hosts a free group run every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Runners who join the running group receive 10% off purchases.

“We are so pleased to announce another Sole Sports opening in the Valley,” co-owner Karen McDonnell, who has been in the running retail industry since 2007, said in a release. “We love our customers and have a passion for getting the community together to run and socialize. We hope to continue to motivate people to get outside, whether that’s running, hiking or walking.”

Co-owner Lance Muzslay is just as excited as his business partner McDonnell.

“Karen and I are so happy to watch this new store go up and serve a new community,” Muzslay said.

He has owned and operated stores in specialty running shoes since 2002. His background in software development has been helpful in the overall efficiency of inventory management for the running industry.

Sole Sports in Verde at Cooley Station is located at 2494 S. Recker Road., suite 101, Gilbert.