Pacers & Racers store expansion is under way.

A while back I was asked to assemble a list of iconic independent small businesses in Floyd County, and indulged in social media crowd-sourcing to augment my preconceived notions. There was widespread agreement in this instance.

Pacers & Racers at Facebook has an announcement.

WE ARE EXPANDING! You won't have to go far (next door and all the way to the corner space!

Why are we doing this? We simply ran out of room, thanks to our 78,000 customers who have been fitted for over 155,000 pairs of shoes since 1998.

What's changing? More styles (more products, more, more widths), twice as many fitting stations, enlarged kids area, more natural lighting, less waiting time, and more parking.

What's not changing? The way we take care of you... that will never change.

These guys do it right. Visit their web site for more information.

Pacers & Racers.

3602 Northgate Ct. #19

New Albany, IN 47150

(812) 948-7865

An unsolicited plug for Pacers & Racers.

As so many readers know, Pacers & Racers Running - Walking Store is located just around the corner from NABC's original Plaza Drive location; they're at 3602 Northgate Court #19, off Grant Line Road.

I've shopped there on and off for some time, but the past couple of years, it's all clicked for me, and now I regret my previous absence of focus when it comes to consistent patronage, because the Pacers & Racers staff surely must be in the top one percentile locally when it comes to training and knowledge. This morning I was given the lowdown on plantar fasciitis, which I've unfortunately developed in my left foot, as well as ailment management strategies, muscle stretching tips and loads of supporting information. I also bought two pairs of shoes.

You can't compare apples and oranges, and we have a wonderful supporting cast at NABC, too, and yet I quite sincerely view the folks at Pacers & Racers as the gold standard of service. It's a consistent level of quality that all independent businesses should seek to attain.