SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Admitting they will never do better than YouTube running shoe sensation Connor Blalock, Running Warehouse announced the “surprisingly easy” decision to shutter operations as Blalock departs for Flagstaff, Arizona, after more than a decade with the company.
Widely regarded as the GOAT in running media, and the owner of a 15:20 5K personal best, Blalock served in a variety of roles at Running Warehouse over the past 13 years, none more prominent than as the central figure on its YouTube channel.
In addition to profiling the latest running shoes, Blalock regularly engaged with professional runners, brand personnel, and fellow content creators across a series of recurring video segments often cited as foundational to modern running. In late 2023, Blalock began co-hosting the “Mr. Rubio Used to Run” podcast, alongside Running Warehouse co-founder and owner Joe Rubio.
A Running Warehouse spokesperson offered praise for Connor’s impact.
“In many ways, Connor was the face of Running Warehouse. Whenever you thought of us, you thought of Connor and his luscious locks, pearly whites, and infectious grin from ear to ear. He was also the voice of Running Warehouse, with his soothing inflection, confident delivery, and immaculate pronunciation of some quite complex shoe names as he meticulously detailed the latest updates each year.
So, without Connor as both the face and voice of Running Warehouse, we would become just another faceless, voiceless, and ultimately soulless corporate entity, because Connor was also, in many respects, the soul of Running Warehouse. And since our inception in 2005, we made a promise to ourselves and to the running community that we would never become another DICK’s Sporting Goods or Zappos, no matter how successful they may be.
The shoe industry has experienced a great deal of evolution over the past decade, with new foams, the introduction of plates, and bigger heel pull tabs, but the one constant through it all has been Connor. There is simply no way we could ever fill his size 9 shoes.”
According to sources, in addition to sunsetting the website, the brand’s five retail locations closed their doors the moment Blalock stepped out the door of Running Warehouse headquarters for the final time.
At press time, Blalock had announced his new company on Instagram with the caption, “How’s it going guys? I’m Connor, from Running Depot.”
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