Meet us where the clothes are comfortable
When sisters Anne Pezalla and Kate Pezalla Marlin grew passionate about running, they also noticed that there was nowhere in Oak Park for women to find stylish (but comfortable) athletic clothes.
So they set out to fill the void with Lively Athletics!
Here you will find comfortable clothing for running, yoga, and more. What you won’t find are many zippers or buttons since everything here is geared for comfort! In fact, there is a three-part fit process at Lively Athletics to ensure your clothes and shoes are the perfect fit.
The store sells loungewear, outerwear, footwear, and locally made gifts and accessories. A new kids section with a wide variety of children’s shoes is very popular at the shop.
Also seriously popular? The salted watermelon and toasted marshmallow fuel flavors that keep runners fueled up as they add on the miles.
At Lively Athletics, you can also sign up for a training group for runners who want camaraderie and accountability while training. Or you can join a free running group.
Lively Athletics is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday from 10am to 50m, and Sunday from noon to 5pm.
At 6:30pm on Wednesdays, a running group sets out from Lively Athletics. All paces are welcomed on the 5K loop around Oak Park. (Check the Lively Athletics website to ensure the running group is off to the races.)
Costs vary for clothing at footwear at Lively Athletics.
Sisters Anne Pezalla and Kate Pezalla Marlin are co-owners of Lively Athletics. They are both avid runners (Kate even ran a marathon while pregnant!) who seek comfort and style.
Anne and Kate employ about ten people at the store and the number one prerequisite to work at Lively Athletics is that you must be nice. This may sound simple, but the sisters insist that: “We are nice. Everyone who works here is nice.”
The staff at Lively Athletics is also nicely supported by Anne and Kate who have a store policy that the customer comes second and the employee comes first. The theory here is that happy employees provide stellar customer experiences.
Located at 109 North Oak Park Avenue, Lively Athletics is just steps from the Oak Park Stop on the CTA Green Line.
