By FRANK TUTALO
Sun Staff
LOWELL A week from today, the city's first specialty running store opens its doors downtown, just as a popular road race starts nearby.
Marx Running and Fitness, owned by Chelmsford resident Mark Coddaire, will sell everything from running shoes to reflective vests and athletic apparel. The 118 Merrimack St. store has garnered funding in part from the Downtown Venture Fund, which has arranged for $1.5 million in low-interest loans to 13 businesses.
An avid runner, Coddaire, 42, hopes to draw on an somewhat established customer base. For the past decade, he has been involved with the Greater Lowell Road Runners, currently serving as president.
"With all the events in Lowell, there's an audience out there for the store, and we'll be present at all the events," Coddaire said. "We'll sponsor some of the races, tape the races, and even play them in the store on a big-screen TV." The soft opening will be March 9, coinciding with the 23rd Irish Feet Are Running Five-Mile Race, which starts and ends on Merrimack Street. The store's grand opening is slated for early April.
"We think the store will not only be a good addition to downtown, but it will also be a strong one," said Jim Cook, executive director of the Lowell Plan, which administers startup loans through the venture fund.
Coddaire, who has worked for high-technology companies for 20 years, has thought about opening his own business for five years, and first approached city officials about six months ago. He will dedicate himself full-time to the venture.
"I love being around the sport, and this is a way for me to be dedicated and work my entire professional career around something I enjoy," he said. "I want it to be one-stop shopping for gear and advice."
The 1,300-square-foot space, which Coddaire has leased for five years, used to house the Little Avon Boutique, which has since moved a few doors down. Coddaire's son Phillip, a University of Massachusetts Amherst senior and Chelmsford High graduate, and fellow runners Tom Carroll and Kevin Curtain will work (the men are also renovating the store before it opens) at the store.
Colin McNeice, the city's director of economic development, also thinks Marx will contribute to the community. "Because of his energy and his enthusiasm in general, we think it'll be a lot more than a running store," he said. "Mark has a quality business plan and a lot of expertise in running."
Coddaire, whose grandparents used to own Ligget's Drug Store on Central Street (Ray Robinson's Sandwich Shoppe is there now), hopes to draw more runners into the sport. Besides selling the conventional wares, he will also provide training sessions and weekly running clinics for all types of runners. He also wants to take more advantage of the nearby scenic Lowell Riverwalk. Joanne Souza of the Edge Group helped Coddaire settle on the spot after he looked at two others, including space once occupied by Planet Aid, a second-hand clothing store that closed in mid-January.
The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The advent of Marx comes as several other downtown businesses are also gearing up to open. Those include Haus, a home decor store on Shattuck Street, and Mi Loc, a clothing store on Merrimack Street. Also, potential suitors for vacant spaces once occupied by Burger King and Hank's have been talking to city officials and developers.
Frank Tutalo's e-mail address is ftutalo@lowellsun.com
This story ran on page 16 of the Sunday Sun, March 2, 2003.