Dick Pond in Carpentersville to close Oct. 31

It's been the go-to store for area runners for the past seven years.

If the runners wanted to get fitted with just the right running shoes, or measured for the perfect pair of compression socks, all they had to do was zip over to Dick Pond Athletics along the Randall Road corridor in Carpentersville.

There, they could meet all of their running needs, like custom-fit running shoes, Gu packets to sustain their long runs and even training plans for new runners.

But now after seven years at 2164 Randall Road, the Dick Pond store will be closing on Friday, Oct. 31.

Manager Karie Stringer said the store has had many loyal customers over the years who've loved the personal, tailored experience the family-owned business offers.

Over the years the store has catered to many customers. And it's even helped turn some non-runners into runners through Dick Pond's walk to run program. Those new runners have in turn become loyal customers of the local store.

However, the stream of loyal customers just wasn't good enough to sustain the business, and so Stringer announced the store's closing earlier this month.

For devotees, Dick Pond does have several other locations in the Chicago area. The business has a store in St. Charles, just off the Randall Road corridor at 303 N. 2nd St. Dick Pond also has locations in Carol Stream, Schaumburg, Lisle and Park Ridge.

Stringer said the Schaumburg location is relocating to Hoffman Estates on Dec. 1. The new store will be at 1772 W. Algonquin Road, which will give customers near the Carpentersville store a closer location to shop than the Schaumburg location, she said.

“They are making a bigger store there,” she said. “That will be the closest one to here.”

Stringer says all of the runners rewards points customers have accumulated in Carpentersville will transfer to the other stores.

Customers still have until Oct. 31 to shop the Randall Road location.

Discount sales have already started, and will continue until the closing next month, she said.

The scent of fall:

The Yankee Candle store along Randall Road in Geneva is offering a sneak peek of fall products.

For one day only on Saturday, Oct. 4, it will feature 13 fall fragrances at the Geneva Commons store, with special purchase offers. The event will last throughout the day.

Give back:

The Stride Rite store along Randall Road in Algonquin is looking for your old shoes.

Through Tuesday, Sept. 30, for every pair you bring to in to help the less fortunate, the store will give you money off a future purchase.

As part of Soles 4 Souls, the store is collecting the gently used shoes.

When you bring them in, on the same day, you can get 20 percent off the purchase of a pair of shoes from the Algonquin store.

• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.