Proudly specialised, but with doors flung open to their budding community – from casual park-runners to pro record-breakers – DISTANCE Paris are more than a niche boutique. They're a hub, where passionate runners can peruse top-tier product (including Papaline pasta and fresh coffee) while coming together to enjoy like-minded company.
DISTANCE are all about furthering their mission towards an 'inclusive vision of running', championing community while new heat, with Olympians, supporting with , partnering with the very best in the game from the Swoosh to , and working alongside brands on special-edition releases.
At the heart of DISTANCE is co-founder Guillaume Pontier, a former athlete whose devotion to running and deep connections to the sport's community have shaped his store's identity.
Pontier is the mind behind memorable campaigns such as , which saw DISTANCE challenge followers to get themselves snapped on-foot by real Parisian speed cameras (attracting French track-and-field Olympians Léna Kandissounon and Quentin Malriq), and the event in 2023, at which customers could keep any product they pinched off the DISTANCE shelves... as long as they managed to flee Olympic sprinter Méba-Mickaël Zeze, stationed at the door as cameo security guard.
Ahead of the store's highly anticipated activations for Paris Fashion Week 2025, Sneaker Freaker spoke to Pontier about athletic heritage, choice brands, why DISTANCE is proudly 'For All Runners', and a particularly exciting pipeline project due to land this year.
Guillaume, tell us about your background.
I come from a family of runners. My father has worked for the French Athletics Federation, as a coach, for over 30 years. One of my younger brothers was one of the best French runners in the 3000m steeplechase and cross-country. My grandfather was president of the athletics club in my town. As you can see, running is in my blood!
Personally, I've been running for over 20 years, starting with cross country, then track and finally road – 10k, half marathon, and marathon. Professionally, I was an optician for 10 years before setting up DISTANCE.
Product-wise, what did you run in while growing up, and what do you run in now?
When you come from the track in the 2000s – I grew up with Nike! That's all I wore: Pegasus, Vomero, Skylon, Streak. I was obsessed with Nike race kits. At the time, they were the only ones to make special kits for athletes under contract.
Now, I have the opportunity to test all the brands! To be honest, I really like the ASICS Novablast – they're ultra versatile shoes. I also really like the Saucony Endorphin Speed for the same reason. And last but not least, the adidas Evo SL.
What was your vision for the brand's foundation, and your motivation in opening the store?
DISTANCE began in April 2018 in Lyon, with this desire to create a new approach to running – more modern and in-tune with new consumers. The idea was to dust off retail running, and we were the first to take this approach. We didn't invent anything – it's a running shop – but we spend a lot of time on curation, shop architecture and customer experience, as well as image and communication. Seven years after we opened, we now have a shop in Paris, one in Iten (Kenya), and one in Copenhagen. Plans to open internationally [are] coming soon.
What’s the purpose of DISTANCE for runners and the community?
Every DISTANCE store is a hub for the local community. That's where we're really strong – in bringing the community together and creating unique experiences and events that everyone remembers.
What is your most cherished moment in DISTANCE history so far?
Our first real collaboration with a brand. When you're setting up a brand, especially in sport, a shoe colab with a leader in the field is always a dream come true.
We were lucky enough to do a shoe and apparel colab with On – a worldwide launch, with the brand's athletes wearing our products – and that's something we'll never forget. Then we created several teams of athletes who represent our colours. Seeing top athletes or just friends and customers with your logo on the race course is a real thrill.
What brands are you stocking at DISTANCE and which are your favourites?
We do spend a lot of time curating our products, and we work with almost all the trendy running brands in the world: On, HOKA, Satisfy, , Saucony, Nike, Arc'teryx, , Oakley. [At the moment] I like the latest Maurten x DV colab, and the latest Nike Vomero 18. And of course, the – our best seller.
From France to Kenya and Denmark – can you share your plans for further expansion?
Yes, we have a road map until 2028 [which includes] Seoul, Tokyo, London, Milan, NYC and LA.
What is on the DISTANCE calendar for the remainder of this year?
As usual, we remain very active within major running events such as the London Marathon, , and Paris Marathon – but our highlight this year is , for September 2025.
Keep it locked to Sneaker Freaker for all updates on the upcoming DISTANCE x Saucony colab, and check out more features exploring boutique sportswear stores in our Talking Shop series.