Photo / Courtesy John Rogers
Marathon Sports president Ben Cooke (left) with John Rogers outside the newly branded store in Portland.
April 4, 2025
Fleet Feet Maine Running company sells Maine stores to Marathon Sports
Fleet Feet Maine Running, with stores in Portland and Brunswick, has sold the brand to Marathon Sports.
Waltham, Mass.-based Marathon Sports operates 26 stores across New England. Its flagship store is on Boylston Street near the finish of the Boston Marathon.
The sale was finalized April 1 for an undisclosed amount, and the Maine stores have already been rebranded.
Maine Running Co. was started by John Rogers 20 years ago and was converted to Fleet Feet Maine Running in 2013, when the company became a Fleet Feet franchise.
(Fleet Feet Inc., purchased Marathon Sports in 2022. Today Marathon Sports functions as a separate company, with Ben Cooke as president.)
Rogers told Mainebiz in a phone call this morning that he is 67 years old, and is retiring from the business “to work in consulting opportunities in the running world.
"Everybody needs an exit strategy," he added, "and it was important to us to find a buyer that would continue to serve our customers and continue to offer the events that we’ve built over the years.”
Fleet Feet has for many years run elite race and training events around Maine, supporting both high school runners as well as adults. The popular Wednesday night weekly Back Cove summer series, started in 2006, attracts close to 700 runners every season. Rogers has donated proceeds from the event to Portland Trails, and that figure over the years has totaled “well into the six figures” he said.
Fleet Feet's 25 employees will stay on under the new ownership. Rogers added that it was possible that Marathon Sports may grow the brand in Maine with additional stores.
“This sale represents an exciting new chapter for both our team and the community," he said. "We are confident that Marathon Sports will continue to drive community engagement and deliver outstanding service to our customers and the running and fitness community.”
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