If you were an Orange County runner in 1979, Loeschhorn’s is a name you probably recognize. John Loeschhorn established the very first running store and social running club in Orange County in the latter ’70s. His original store in Costa Mesa was a Mecca for runners from all over Southern California. Our 1979 Fountain Valley store – originally located on Warner Ave directly across from Mile Square Park, was the 4th Loeschhorn’s store in OC and the very first franchise store.
During the ’80s, there were a lot of ups and downs. Running shops everywhere were going out of business. Dave’s Fountain Valley Loeschhorn’s was the last remaining Loeschhorn’s for Runners store. With no other Loeschhorn’s store to associate itself with, it was time to try a new name.
With the Fountain Valley store lease up for renewal, it was the perfect time to change the name and location at the same time. The shop relocated two miles west to its current location on Warner Avenue. However, coming up with a new name was a bit of a challenge, unlike finding a new store location.
The “true story” goes that Dave was out for a run on a damp, drizzly morning, racking his brain for a unique, catchy name. His run was interrupted by an exodus of what appeared to be hundreds of snails migrating across the wet sidewalk – as snails will do on rainy mornings. Forced to tiptoe at half-speed, he chuckled to himself, ‘Geez, I’m having to run at a snail’s pace’.
