Sport 2000 opened the 22nd store under its Absolute Run running specialty banner on Sept. 10 in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, converting an existing Sport 2000 outlet into the cooperative’s dedicated running format and giving the banner its second location in the country.
The rebranded store, Absolute Run Faber Sport, occupies 275 square meters in the center of Heerenveen and replaces a general Sport 2000 shop at the same address. Marco Kramer, who worked at the store before taking it over as owner, is leading the conversion himself, drawing on his own experience as a runner to shape the store’s assortment and service model.
The opening extends a specialization strategy that Sport 2000 has used to differentiate from larger generalist chains. In 2025, running was Sport 2000´s fastest-growing category across the German network in 2025, with sales climbing 18.5 percent year over year and outpacing every other segment the group tracks. Meanwhile, the Absolute Run format had reached its 19th location by February, with the cooperative targeting 30 Absolute Run stores across Central Europe by 2029.
Inside the Heerenveen store, a dedicated running track gives staff room to assess customers’ gait. The five-person team uses FootBalance, a Finnish gait analysis and custom insole-molding system, to inform footwear recommendations alongside in-person consultation. The layout follows Absolute Run’s standard template: separate consultation areas for men’s and women’s footwear, brand-specific textile shops, and an open community space at the center of the store, with customer access from both the front and rear of the building.
The assortment includes partner brands adidas, ASICS, Brooks, HOKA, New Balance and running specialist Saucony, spanning trail running, running bras, socks, accessories, sports nutrition and technical running gear.
The store’s community identity extends beyond the shop floor: staff lead an open community run every Tuesday at 7 p.m., a fixture intended to build a recurring meeting point for runners in Heerenveen and the surrounding Oranjewoud area.
