Photo by Deb Gau The current Runnings store in Canby is located in multiple downtown buildings. That will change when a new store is built in 2023.

CANBY — “We’re not like any other Runnings,” store, manager Becky Moorse said Thursday.

The Canby Runnings location was opened in 1972, and over the past 50 years it has expanded into three additional buildings in Canby’s downtown. But still, space is tight in the store and the greenhouse area out back.

“The parking is crazy back here with the greenhouse,” Moorse said.

But all of that is going to change. Last week, Runnings announced it had purchased nearly 6 acres of land from the city of Canby to build a new 25,000 square-foot store. The new Canby Runnings is planned to open sometime in the summer of 2023.

“It’s very exciting,” Moorse said. “Now with a bigger store, we can carry more of everything.”

“We’re very excited to be collaborating with Runnings to make this new venture possible,” said Canby Mayor Nancy Bormann. “Our thanks to the store patrons for their support and helping to make an expansion possible.”

At 8,000 square feet of space, the current Canby store is the smallest of Runnings’ 57 retail locations, company spokespeople said. But it also has a long history with the company — it was the fourth Runnings store to open.

“It’s Runnings 75th anniversary and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than by bringing a new store to one of our legacy locations,” said Dan Herrmann, Runnings COO. “The store may be small in size, but the city has played such an important role in helping us get to where we are today.”

The land for the new store is located along Fairgrounds Road, at the north edge of Canby, Runnings said in its announcement. With a total of 5.9 acres to build on, the new Canby Runnings will have space to sell an expanded collection of items ranging from sporting goods and clothing to farm supplies, housewares, and lawn and garden items.

Runnings said it plans to hire more people in Canby to support the new store when it opens next year, although the announcement didn’t give a specific number of jobs.

Moorse said the Canby Runnings fills an important need in the community.

“People are always saying, ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you here,'” she said.

Having a local store means shoppers don’t have to travel as far to find what they’re looking for — and that’s become important as gas prices rise, she said.

Moorse said hearing about the new store has been exciting for Canby area residents, too.

“The community has been very well-receiving of everything,” she said.