House of Morrison Shoe Repair: A Detroit Stalwart for 37 years
Updated: Mar 9, 2022
Ronda Morrison’s jovial, boisterous and light demeanor belies the real story behind House of Morrison Shoe Repair. The oldest shoe repair store in Detroit and third generation business is a mainstay on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion and has seen the likes of Coleman A. Young, Louis Farrakhan and Aretha Franklin. Morrison’s humble demeanor doesn’t immediately let on to the fact that House of Morrison Shoe Repair is one of the oldest Black owned businesses in Detroit or that the company is her grandfather’s legacy. “My granddaddy cashed out his life insurance policy to give him the money to buy this building,” Morrison said.
“We have all worked in daddy’s shop. It just so happened that I was the one who was here when daddy retired. It was just a passion to be with my father and then it was a passion to make sure that his legacy did not go in vain.”
“I didn’t feel like my life would be alright if I just shut down my father’s business that he raised an entire family off of. I have four sisters and one brother and I’m the youngest,” Morrison said. “We have all worked in daddy’s shop. It just so happened that I was the one who was here when daddy retired. It was just a passion to be with my father and then it was a passion to make sure that his legacy did not go in vain.”
House of Morrison cleans, dyes, fixes rips, removes scratches, repairs heels and more, however, being a skilled cobbler isn’t the only reason her business has survived all these years. She said her passion for her craft and her passion for helping the next generation is what helped her persevere -- a lesson she learned from her father. A lesson that has also helped her survive in the midst of a pandemic. She attributes the business’ success to a loyal clientele and great customer service.
We celebrate House of Morrison this Black History Month and everyday. We also honor them for 37 years of dedicated, quality service. Learn more about House of Morrison Shoe Repair at facebook.com/Detroitsoriginalshoerepair.