Each year, in anticipation of the September community festival, James J. Hill Days, the Steering Committee selects a Parade Grand Marshal—a beloved local figure who truly embodies the spirit of our celebration. Over the years, we’ve had the honor of spotlighting many remarkable grand marshals, and this year, we are thrilled to celebrate Bob “Shoebob” Fisher as our star! Known for his outstanding work with Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP) and as the proud owner of Bob’s Shoebob Repair, Bob is a cherished member of the community. We are delighted to have him lead the parade on Sunday, September 8, at 3 pm.
Below is a snippet of the interview with Bob “Shoebob” Fisher and Sun Sailor Reporter Jay Morgan. Click here to see the full article featured in the latest September Sun Sailor insert.
Q: As someone who has many achievements including inspiring the Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners Sleep Out Fundraiser, conducting the first pitch at a Twins Game, and becoming a well-known entrepreneur, what has been one of your most accomplished memories that you are most proud of?
When Interfaith Outreach talked to me in the first place over 25 years ago, they said they wanted to help raise awareness of affordable housing and homelessness as well as, of course, raise money through the Sleep Out idea. Since then, one of the big deals for me is that Interfaith has garnered thousands of volunteers to help keep their business running and people working for them so I’m proud to have been a part of that. It has not only raised awareness for affordable housing in the area but really let the community know what IOCP was all about. The Sleep Out helped bring thousands of volunteers and many have stayed volunteering and they need volunteers all of the time so that was a really cool thing.
Everybody in town knows me as ‘Shoebob’ and I don’t know them but they know me so that’s kind of fun, being able to say hi and know that I’ve had some kind of effect on their lives in a positive way. That’s really cool. I’m also a tour guide for the Minnesota Twins and one of the things that we had to learn as tour guides was that the stadium seats 35,588 people. Just before I learned about that, I got a card from Interfaith Outreach that I mentioned they have prevented about 34,000 people from becoming homeless throughout the years because of the Sleep Out fundraiser so that number really stuck with me. I just couldn’t imagine one of my kids or one of my family members or anybody in Wayzata becoming homeless.
Q: You are well known around the Wayzata community and beyond as “Shoebob”, what does being an icon in the community mean to you?
Being somebody that everyone knows in the community, it’s cool but I’ve never liked anything glitzy. I don’t like anything pointing in my direction. I’m not offended by it but I really don’t want to be the center of attention all the time. I want people to see the whole picture and not just me but it is kind of fun. It offers me an opportunity to do something to help the community and connect them with people that they might need. A lot of people don’t need anything though, they just want to say hi so that’s fun too. It’s all people I can show love to. I did a show on Facebook Live around COVID-19 time about love and unity and I spoke about when you close up a conversation, you can always say I love you to them because there are not many people that hear that so I do that. I really spend time saying I love you to people. To those who have been given much, much is expected and I’ve been given a lot so I want to give back as much as I can to help.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
I don’t think there’s anybody in the community that loves Wayzata more than I do. There have been times when before bed I’d hop in my car and drive around Wayzata and then come back home. My wife would laugh at me asking why I did that and I just would say I have to say goodnight to my community, kind of like tucking them in. I love the Wayzata community like I would my own child. I’m honored to be part of the community. I’m so blessed to be part of this community. I’ve been living in Wayzata for over 48 years now and I just love it. I just want to say thank you Wayzata.
