Runners Point, the German specialty chain, is moving into Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The operation is going to be handled through a local partner, Futura AG. The latter was founded and is run by Stephan Ruggle, who was the chief executive of Swiss Intersport until late 2008. He then switched to the executive board of Dosenbach-Ochsner, the country's leading shoe and sporting goods chain, which he quit in 2010. Apparently, the first shops are set to open in September under the Sidestep banner for sports fashion, followed by the Runners Point shoe shops and Run², a rather technical format for running and walking. The management sees a potential for 30-40 doors in the country. Last year, Runners Point increased its turnover before VAT from €128.4 million to €144.3 million reached through 160 doors plus mail-order and internet business. Altogether, the chain operates 99 Runners Point stores with three located in Austria and the rest in Germany. Of the 52 Sidestep stores, most of them are again located in Germany, but there are three in Austria and seven in the Netherlands. The nine Run² stores are located in Germany like the additional eight Runners Point stores that are operated through franchisees.

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