1 of north Moorhead's 2 shoe and tarp repair shops relocates to Fargo

FARGO — Call it the ultimate reboot. Anderson's Shoe & Tarp Repair recently moved from its location at 901 First Ave. N. in Moorhead to the Southpointe Mall at 3060 25th St. S. Suite D in Fargo.

Owner Troy Anderson said one reason for the move was to eliminate any confusion between his business and Interstate Shoe, which is located less than a block away at 118 Ninth St. N. and had a billboard close to Anderson's for several years.

"Moorhead was always really good to me, but I've always wanted to be centrally located. Now it's not too far for Moorhead people to come to Fargo and not too far for West Fargo people. It's one of the busiest intersections in town," he said.

Anderson and his father, Tom, are longtime area shoe and tarp repairmen. Tom Anderson began learning the trade at age 12 in his hometown of Owatonna, Minn. Thanks to hard work, Anderson told The Forum in a 2016 interview that he was able to purchase his first car by the age of 15.

Not to be outdone, Troy started learning the trade from his father when he was in the third grade. And before graduating from high school, he purchased Shorty's Shoe Repair in Moorhead.

That business eventually became known as Tom's Shoe and Tarp Repair. Troy Anderson sold to his father in 2005 when he got a full-time job with the railroad.

In 2016, Tom Anderson retired and sold the business his apprentice, Robert Knorr, and his wife, Becca.

The Knorrs went out of business not long after relocating to 1617 32nd Ave. S. in 2018. That's when Troy Anderson bought the business back and relocated it to 901 First Ave. N.

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Troy Anderson still works full time for the railroad, but he stops by the shop daily where he said he "works until I get tired." He's earned national recognition for his work from the Shoe Service Institute of America, a trade organization for the shoe repair industry.
In addition to shoes, Troy said the business repairs tarps, boat covers and lift canopies. They also replace zippers and repair athletic gear.

"Whatever needs fixing, we pretty much end up with it," he said.