Owner of House of Morrison Shoe Repair is Queen Mother of Detroit's Avenue of Fashion

At some point during Ronda Morrison’s Thanksgiving dinner, after many succulent dishes prepared by family members have been eaten — including turkey, salmon, crab legs, greens, dressing, salads, fried corn and more — the spotlight will turn to a dessert Morrison purchased.

Not only will that sweet, juicy, classic dessert reflect her family’s Louisiana roots, but it also represents Morrison’s unquenchable need to create and support family members in ways that extend beyond her blood relatives.

“I ordered a peach cobbler from someone from the community who came around to the shop the first time a couple of months ago selling baked goods,” said the 61-year-old Morrison, who operates her family’s business — House of Morrison Shoe Repair, 18933 Livernois, on Detroit’s historic Avenue of Fashion. “She comes by now every Saturday and I want to patronize that young girl because her pastries are good and if she keeps at it, she will probably end up with a bakery.”

Morrison knows a thing or two about perseverance. House of Morrison Shoe Repair was established in 1954 by her late father, Theodore, and Morrison has worked at the business virtually her entire adult life, beginning in 1983. But even long before then, Morrison can recall an “amazing time” of her life while attending school for a half day at the old McKerrow Elementary, 4800 Collingwood, where she was regularly picked up at lunchtime by her father, who would bring Morrison to an earlier location of the family’s business on Joy Road, just east of Grand River. Once there, the future shoe repair expert would wait for lunch to be served while she listened to the jazz music her dad played and took inventory of how the business operated.

On the morning of Nov. 14, describing her earliest connection to the family business brought a wide smile to Morrison’s face. The smile often was accompanied by hearty laughter during Morrison’s storytelling. However, the joy that Morrison chose to talk about even more centered on her thankfulness to be surrounded by fellow business neighbors that share a vision that House of Morrison has helped to shape on the Avenue of Fashion for more than 50 years.

“In this business corridor, we share a vision of being successful and what we have figured out is that the best way for us all to be successful is to work together,” said Morrison, who wants to make it known that her block, between Clarita and 7 Mile Road — home to businesses that offer an array of services including hair care, skin care, shoe care, optical care, clothing, art, pet supplies and an increasing variety of foods due to the recent presence of food trucks — is not just a part of the Avenue of Fashion, but a vibrant part.

And just as the famous fried corn prepared by Morrison for the family Thanksgiving feast contains a special ingredient — baking soda, to make it “swell up and thicken up” Louisiana style — Morrison also is known for a special go-to move that she has shared with any business owner on her block who is facing challenging circumstances.

“Where there is confusion, I always try to find a solution. And sometimes all you have to do is just give a big ole hug,” explained Morrison, who pointed to stages during the pandemic and even before then, along with the longtime construction project on Livernois for the installation of a new streetscape, as times when her hugs were especially needed. “That is what’s needed sometimes — just shut out all of that conflict and confusion and bring it to a hug. I do that because I was hugged all of my life growing up.”

One person who has witnessed Morrison’s hugs up close is Sevyn Jones, owner of Skin Bar VII at 18951 Livernois.

“Her (Morrison’s) hugs are infectious,” says the 43-year-old Jones, who received a gift from Morrison on the morning of Nov. 18 to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Jones’ business on the Avenue of Fashion. “And if there is a problem, once that hug goes down, the problem is solved because the hug came from the Queen Mother.”

Jones, who told the Free Press in June 2022 that she was on a mission to “activate” her business block, says she receives never-ending motivation to carry out her mission from Morrison.

“I feel that a lot of time people use the word ‘mentor’ loosely, but the Queen Mother has demonstrated a long-term drive and spirit, along with a reality that hard work is required and that there are no shortcuts,” said Jones, who launched a block club for her fellow businesses and recently received a “Corridor Hero” grant from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and Detroit Means Business, which she says will be used for a window decorating contest to inject additional holiday spirit across the Avenue of Fashion.

“As long as you do things the right way and stand on your truth, you will last the test of time," Jones said. "And the Queen Mother, along with Dixon’s (Barbershop, 18937 Livernois) have demonstrated that. I always tell the other businesses on the block that if we do something and those two businesses can’t participate, we will take care of them. I was always taught to respect my elders, so no matter what, they will always be included and never forgotten.”

Another person who should not be forgotten by anyone who respects the history of the Avenue of Fashion and what it represents today is Theodore Morrison, who will no doubt be talked about often during the Morrison’s Thanksgiving feast.

“We talk about dad every day,” says Claudia Helton, who worked alongside Ronda Morrison on the morning of Nov. 18 and who, like all the other children (Theodora, Terrell, the late Toni and Kimberly) of Theodore and Bernice Morrison, has worked at the business at some point throughout their lives. “He taught us that there is nothing too good for the customer and that you always give the customer the ultimate respect, and that concept has carried us through all different lines of life that we have been in.

"We keep all of our ancestors very close to us and we have shared what we have learned, which has helped to create a spirit of community in the Avenue of Fashion.”

Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and lifelong lover of Detroit culture in all of its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the city’s neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at: stalley@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @STalleyfreep. Read more of Scott's stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Owner of House of Morrison Shoe Repair has worked there most of life