Over the past three decades, Tom Knudson has had a “foothold’ in Augusta’s retail community which is what you would expect or a downtown shoe store owner and salesman.
After three-and-a-half years with the U.S. Air Force, this native of Seneca spent five years operating The Shoe Villa for the Seitz Shoe Co. in Salina.
He came to Augusta in 1977 and purchased Stricklers Shoes from Virgil Strickler on Jan. 1, 1978.
Tom has seen many changes in the shoe business over the years,
“Sneakers were first starting to sell when I bought this store. Now, we practically live off sneaker sales,” says Tom.
He’s also seen shoe companies come and go and change names.
Today, the store at 513 State displays shoes and accessories from 42 companies.
Tom is a past president of the Augusta Chamber of Commerce. He was a longtime chair of its retail committee.
During his days with the retail committee, Tom involved high school cheerleaders in public collection efforts  for the annual Fourth of July show at the Augusta City Lake.
He found time to serve on the former United Way board and was an original director of the Augusta CrimeStoppers program.
He is still a member of the Chamber and the local Optimist Club.
Tom remodeled the store in 1988. Last year earned recognition from the Kansas Main Street program for the store’s facade makeover.
 A pair of mounted fish hang above the shoes on the north wall of the downtown store.  These 16-pounders were caught by Tom (the Striper Bass) and his father Iver A. Knudson (the Northern Pike) during a 1988 fishing trip to Centerville, S.D.
The store is a mecca for local athletes and athletic programs. Whatever the sport of the season may be, Stricklers is the more often than not - the signup place.
He’s added a variety of university related merchandise over the past three years.
Tom and Sue Knudson have raised two children. Son Casey has earned a computer degree from Kansas State University at Salina and daughter Chelsea will finish work on her teaching degree at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina next spring.
After a five-year stint with Ace Hardware of Augusta, Sue is now employed at Dillons Supermarket.
“Before it became a shoe store, this used to be a hardware store,” said Tom. “And it must have sold dynamite at one time. There’s a sign on the wall in the back about how to handle explosives.”
The shoe business was begun by Russell Larson in the 100 block of East Fifth and moved to the 500 block of State the following year. Larson sold it to Strickler and Strickler sold it to Knudson. The rest is history.
Tom has always had a passion for his store and downtown retailing. Before the advent of Downtown Augusta Inc., Tom produced and put up shop directory signs for the 500 block State.
He pitched the idea to city officials who gave him the go-ahead for the project.
“The businesses came and went pretty fast for a while. There were changes to be made on the sign,” he said. Eventually, the mid-block directory signs wore out and were never replaced.
He supported and promoted planting of small trees along the sidewalk and flowers in planter barrels.
Tom recalls summer sidewalk sales and the first White Eagle Festivals in the downtown area which attracted “hundreds and thousands of people” to downtown storefronts.
“I think the White Eagle Festival grew from a small petting zoo held on the parking lot behind my store,” said Tom.
The annual car show in early August is the only carry-over event from the last century which brings a great number of  people downtown.
In recent years, Downtown Augusta has started a summer Grasshopper Festival.
DAI officials are among those saluting the Knudsons on their business longevity.
DAI Executive Director Julie Roller offers these words on the eve of the Knudsons’ 30th business anniversary.
“From work boots, to baseball cleats, tennis shoes and dress shoes, Strickler's Shoes remains an important part of downtown Augusta.
“Celebrating more than 60 years in the shoe business, Stricklers Shoes offers something for everyone.  Opening in 1947, the business has been in its current location, 513 State, since 1948.
 “In addition to being an important downtown business, Strickler's has been a family tradition to many Augustans. 
“Tom  has sold shoes to many of his current shoppers' parents and grandparents. 
“To many, Strickler's is more than shoes; it's about the memories. 
“It is where fathers take their sons to purchase their first pair of baseball cleats just as their fathers did with them.
“It's where mothers take their children shopping for school shoes just as their mothers did with them. In a time where people travel to large shopping centers, Augusta is thankful to have such a quality retail business located in its downtown.  We celebrate Strickler's six decades in the shoe business and look forward to the next 60 years,” wrote Roller.