Falls Road Running featured in Baltimore Business Journal

Jim Adams is retail’s newest cover boy.

The owner of Falls Road Running Store is one of five entrepreneurs — and the only Marylander — being featured in a multimillion campaign designed to promote retail’s importance to the nation’s economy.

Adams submitted a video detailing his retail story “I’m Jim Adams and This is Retail” to the National Retail Federation’s video contest. The organization whittled 100 videos down to 40 before a panel of judges got the list down to 20. Public voting yielded five winners, including Adams. He was the first Monday to be featured in ads. The group is advertising in Politico and other Washington, D.C.,-centered media.

Ellen Davis, the federation’s vice president, said the group is trying to reach D.C. decision-makers.

“Retail is really at the hub of everything,” she said, explaining the campaign’s thrust.

Adams’ video explains how his store powers America’s economy. He gives viewers a glimpse of his store, customers and rows and rows of shoes. With lights flickering in the background, he even shows what happens if he didn’t pay the utility bills. And in a move that probably wowed judges and the public, he shows his very enthusiastic staff — and how they spend the money they earn in his store. Cash in hand, one woman proudly says she’s going shopping.

- Joanna Sullivan, Editor, Baltimore Business Journal

The original article can be found here: Falls Road Running owner Jim Adams featured in national retail ad