TRT Preaches ‘No Pain, No Problem’

Ten years after having his feet operated on, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella has opened a retail space in Shepherdstown that will help to prevent others from making the same running mistakes he made in the past.

Two Rivers Treads, whose mission is to help walkers and runners get strong in the right places, learn better movement, and develop proper aerobic development, sells a variety of footwear, including offerings from Newton, Vibram, Saucony, and New Balance.

“I have made many mistakes, and in the process have learned important lessons that need to be shared with folks wanting to stay active for a lifetime,” says Cucuzzella. “Folks were constantly finding me and asking for advice on injuries, training, and where to find proper footwear.”

According to Cucuzzella, whose running store encourages runners and walkers to strut their stuff au naturale—as in barefoot—an abundance of dysfunction occurs from traditional shoes with elevated heels, which encourage runners to land on their heels. To combat this, Two Rivers Treads’ goal is to teach better mechanics of movement, and, Cucuzzella says, “to complement this with proper footwear based on the best medical evidence, not marketing.”

Cucuzzella describes his new business venture as anti-big-box store. Alongside staffers Tom Shantz and James Munnis, experienced marathoners both, Cucuzzella promises to “offer customer attention and service at the highest level with the goal of helping each individual achieve their fitness and health goals with more fun and less pain.”

But make no mistake: This doc isn’t just about the shoes. He is the founder of the wildly popular Freedom’s Run. Cucuzzella promotes running events as an opportunity for residents and visitors to get outside and play while discovering the region’s rich heritage.

“For visitors,” says Cucuzzella, “we will be a place where they can learn about the natural resources of our area. We will attract runners to our towns, and they will stay, shop, and dine. As these events grow, we will become a hub of sustainable tourism.”

Two Rivers Treads 113 W. German St., Shepherdstown; 304-876-1100; www.trtreads.org.

A Charles Town First: Third Thursdays

Shoppers dotted the downtown sidewalks, laughing and talking with friends. Live music poured from a restaurant’s open door. Armed with pieces of sidewalk chalk, kids created their own concrete Mona Lisas as shopkeepers looked on. Stores stayed open well after the sun had sunk from the sky.

These scenes weren’t playing out in tourist-friendly Shepherdstown or Harpers Ferry. Instead, these sights and sounds were witnessed during Charles Town’s inaugural Third Thursdays event, in June, an event that downtown businesses are planning to run from April through October, 5–9pm, on the third Thursday of each month.

In keeping with other similar events in little downtowns across the country, the goal of Third Thursdays in Charles Town is to introduce residents to the many options available for dining, shopping, and entertainment in their downtown. It was the creation of a handful of existing businesses, including DreamHouse, Albert & Arnold’s, Dish, Jumpin’ Java, and the new Washington Street Gallery & Gift.

The theme of the first event was “Paint the Town,” whereby business owners handed out boxes of sidewalk chalk to customers, encouraging them to liven up the downtown streetscape with a little original art. Store owners such as Kate Brown, co-owner of downtown wine and cheese shop Albert & Arnold’s, deemed the first event a great success.

“It was so exciting to look outside and see the streets packed with people walking, shopping, and just having a great time,” says Brown. “I think this is the beginning of something really positive for downtown Charles Town.”

“With the options for shopping, dining, art, and entertainment,” says Susan Pritchard Ford, co-owner of the new Washington Street Gallery & Gift, “we are convinced that people need to start considering downtown Charles Town as a viable local option for shopping for gifts, having a great meal, or catching a live performance. We hope that folks will come see what we’ve got to offer downtown. It’s changed so much over the past few years. I really do think that people will be pleasantly surprised.”

The next Charles Town Third Thursdays event is Thursday, July 15, 5–9pm.

Design Center Adds Staff

Sue Marks, interior designer and owner of The Design Center, LLC, a full-service interior and exterior design business located at 122 West German Street, Shepherdstown, announces the addition of Samantha Michelle Ceravalo to her staff. A recent graduate of West Virginia University, Ceravalo was an intern at The Design Center in 2009. Having lived in Berkeley County her entire life, she is well acquainted with the Tri-State/Tri-County areas. She broadened her design vision studying abroad, in Queensland, Australia. She especially likes the influences of the history and cultures of Egypt, Rome, and Greece. Ceravalo can be reached at The Design Center, 304-876-6555, Monday–Friday 11am to 5pm and by appointment.