Black Dog Running Company was founded by Daniel Brass in 2012, a time at which there was no other specialty running store in the greater Myrtle Beach area. Having managed a similar store in Virginia, Daniel called upon cultivated knowledge and relationships to build the running retailer presence in Myrtle Beach from the ground up. He brought in exclusive brands and literally introduced them to the local marketplace, while simultaneously building a “pack” of runners who trained together.
Daniel methodically added employees, special events, charitable initiatives, and community partnerships through the next several years and moved the business from downtown Myrtle Beach to the outskirts of Market Common. In 2020, while many businesses unfortunately suffered from pandemic related shutdowns, outdoor fitness industries boomed. Sales at Black Dog grew by leaps and bounds, and Daniel moved the store two doors down to a bigger space.
In 2021, he put the store’s first two managers in place to work side by side. Kelly Burton had been employed since 2019 and brought with her a background in marketing, networking, event planning, and software utilization. Diane Whitman came aboard in 2020 with a background in teaching, coaching, and employee training and management. They had chronicled their inaugural marathon training as well as store events, shoe reviews, running tips, and more on a YouTube show of their own creation, “Rungry.” While doing this, the two rejuvenated the brand of Black Dog, capitalizing on personal appeal, accessibility and relatability to all ages and fitness levels, and cementing the store as a hub for all things running related.
With a strong management staff in place, Daniel opened a second store in 2022, located in downtown Conway. That store is now Black Dog Outfitters and remains under Daniel’s ownership, independent of Black Dog Running Company.
In 2024, Daniel sold Black Dog Running Company to Kelly and Diane, Sisters Running LLC. All parties are excited to move forward with all those pursuing an active lifestyle in Horry and Georgetown counties and beyond!
2 responses to “Founder Daniel Brass”
St Philip Lutheran Preschool is holding our annual online auction. We are excited about this fundraiser and are eager to be able to promote local businesses. As a nonprofit, we do rely on donations from our community to help support our important mission of early childhood education.
Our auction is online so we can reach the most friends and family. It will start April 20th and close on May 1st. We would greatly appreciate your support for our preschool with a donation to our auction. If you are willing to donate an item, we are a nonprofit, so it is tax-deductible! Our tax ID # is 57-0526401.
Our sweet preschool’s ability to continue to operate is due in part to the generous donations of our community members and businesses who believe in the importance of supporting early childhood education. We thank you so much for helping us make a difference! Best wishes.
Hi Jenn, Please send an email to kelly@blackdogrunning.com. Thanks!