Anthony’s Shoe Repair opened in San Diego county in 1989, but Anthony’s skills were learned much earlier. He began working at his fathers shoe repair shop, Fred’s Shoe Repair, in Peoria, Illinois at 16 years of age. Anthony’s father, Fred, learned shoe design and repair in Beirut, Lebanon before moving to the United States in 1955. In 1985, Anthony opened his first shop, also named Fred’s Shoe Repair, in Peoria, Illinois. Soon thereafter, Anthony decided to move his craft and business to San Diego, California. Anthony’s Shoe Repair opened its doors in Solana Beach, California in 1989 and expanded to other locations throughout the San Diego area, including Carmel Mountain (opened 1992) and Del Mar (opened 2002). Meanwhile, the family business is still thriving in the Peoria, Illinois.