Fleet Feet, off and running

A Carrboro company, Fleet Feet, has been quietly building its business since moving from California to North Carolina in 2001.

On Thursday, Fleet Feet moved to a new, larger corporate headquarters, at 406 E. Main St. in Carrboro, and the company is rapidly making plans for new stores.

Fleet Feet franchises its stores to independent owners who sell athletic footwear and apparel for walkers and runners.

There are 72 stores nationwide, including locations in Carrboro's Carr Mill Mall on North Greensboro Street and one that opened in October in Raleigh's Ridgewood Shopping Center on Wade Avenue.

Company chairman and CEO Tom Raynor said he hopes to open 14 stores in 2007 and 14 more in 2008, bringing its total to 100.

As part of that expansion, Raynor is considering stores in Wilmington and Asheville.

Raynor attributed part of the company's popularity to Americans' growing interest in health and fitness.

The company saw an impressive 14.8 percent boost in sales at stores open more than a year.

Raynor declined to offer specific sales figures but said the spike in sales was encouraged by simple changes, including an effort to standardize the fitting process in all of its stores and attract more female customers.

Fleet Feet will introduce a new store model and a drive for new customers next year, Raynor said. The company might pick up the pace of store openings after 2008.

"We can clearly double our ... [number of stores] in five years," he said.

In Raleigh on Thursday, a fire damaged The Falls House, an establishment at 4525 Falls of the Neuse Road that is home to a half dozen wedding-related businesses and studios. Officials think the source of the fire was electrical, said Dominick DiGirolamo, owner of Forever Bridal Productions.

The entire building was damaged by smoke, he said, and Touch of Color Photography's studio was severely damaged. Some of the businesses could reopen by midweek, DiGirolamo said.

In Garner, Pawn & Gifts has opened at the intersection of Interstate 40 and N.C. 42. The store sells new and used items, including jewelry, tools and musical instruments. The address is 106-11 Bratton Drive.

Other items: At Northgate mall in Durham, The Shoe Department is moving to a larger space. The store will begin moving Sunday after closing, and reopen Tuesday across from Chick-fil-A. ... At Triangle Town Center in North Raleigh, J. Jill is open. ... Tobacco shop Smoker Friendly, and Auto Bell car wash should both open early next year at King's Grant Commons, at U.S. 401 and Ten-Ten Road in Fuquay-Varina. ... Also in Fuquay-Varina, Alltel will open in Sexton Commons on Main Street early next year. ... At Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, Hair Inc. moved to a new space near the food court.