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2 Your Town Wearin' of the Green: Running back the history of the Garden District's Varsity Sports
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BATON ROUGE — For more than two decades, a business located in the Garden District has lived by the motto, "Run Hard, Live Easy."
The doors of Varsity Sports, a running and fitness store, opened in 2000, founded by Jenni Peters.
However, lacing up her running shoes was not always a part of her plan!
"Some co-ed softball team mates of mine told me that for $5, I could go get a beer and a free t-shirt at a race over on College Drive. So it was that coincidental," Peters said.
Peters went on to be a professional runner on the United States Track and Field team and participated in four U.S. Olympic Trials.
"Just really enjoyed the competitive nature of it and things progressed pretty fast, and I became pretty competitive and got to see the world with my running," Peters said.
Flash forward, and this passion turned into a successful business.
"I got free shoes from a shoe company while I was competing, and then when that didn't happen anymore, I needed a place to buy shoes, and we had this cool little place on Perkins Road that could become a store, so it became a store," she said.
There are now four stores across Louisiana in Baton Rouge, Covington and New Orleans.
But Peters says it's more than just a business; it's about building a community.
One way she does this is by hosting the annual "Shamrock Run" the morning of the annual Wearin' of the Green parade.
"I think people love running in front of the parade crowds - the parade crowds have already lined up, and the runners are running along down to City Park and getting cheered on the whole way. it's super super exciting," Peters said.
If you would like to check out Varsity Sports, click here.
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