A newly opened specialty running store is the grand-prize winner of the 2017 Jump-Start Downtown Business Competition. Blue Ox Running, 417 S. Barstow St., owned by Adam and Alicia Condit, was named the recipient of the Jim Mishefske Award, which includes $5,000 in start-up capital sponsored by Royal Credit Union, a brand development strategy with JB Systems, a $500 advertising credit with the Leader-Telegram, as well as a media package from Downtown Eau Claire Inc., which oversees the competition. (To learn more about Blue Ox Running, see a full article on Page 14 of this issue.) Meanwhile, Sky Yoga – a new downtown yoga studio owned by Shantel Welk – won the honorable mention award, which includes $1,000 of start-up capital sponsored by Xcel Energy, a “virtual tour” package from Spin Vision, and a DECI media package. Finally, Dotters Books won the Innovative Idea Award, which includes a $1,000 scholarship to the Entrepreneurial Training Program at the Small Business Development Center. The independent bookstore – which is slated to open downtown in the coming year – is owned by Elizabeth De Cleyre, Jill Heinke Moen, and Margaret Leonard. The Jump-Start competition, now in its 13th year, encourages new businesses to open in – or relocate to – downtown Eau Claire. Learn more at downtowneauclaire.org/jumpstart.