Pop-up shops for runners, animal lovers starting this weekend

An e-commerce site for runners and animal lovers is hosting its first pop-up shop at the Sioux Falls Marathon Expo on Saturday.

The Wire Design Company opened its online store Aug. 1 with a selection of merchandise catering to the local community, including a selection of items designed for the Sioux Falls Area Running Club.

You can also find the products at four pop-up shops at running events this fall.

The next three will be in conjunction with races in the running club’s trail series Sept. 11 at Great Bear Recreation Park, Sept. 25 at Tuthill Park and Oct. 9 at Newton Hills State Park.

Each event in the series has its own design, based on a different animal, said Kristi Wire, founder of the company and designer of the merchandise.

Great Bear is a bear, of course. Tuthill is an eagle, and Newton Hills is the jackalope.

The company was conceived in May when the running club asked Wire to help out with a new design for merchandise.

“I was excited when the club asked me to do it,” she said. “Then they were like, ‘We have this booth at the marathon expo, would you like to join us?’”

That led to an expansion into the trail series and beyond, with hats, water bottles, gym bags, jackets, shorts, posters and soon a line of baby and toddler wear. There are about 50 items on the store now with more added all the time.

“It’s always been my dream to do an e-commerce shop,” said Wire, who is an independent designer for about 40 clients in the region.

The online shop is at wiredesigncompany.shop.

Each item is produced on demand and delivered within two to six weeks. Orders can be tracked through the website.

Ten percent of the proceeds will go to the running club, which promotes events and supports the running community in the area.

Creating the store and working with the running club has been a creative outlet for Wire, who spent 10 years working in local advertising agencies before going out on her own.

“It’s a different kind of work,” she said. “There are no limitations. It’s an interesting way of spending your free time and also giving you the creative juices for future projects when you do work for clients.”