Q: Can a shop repair one side struts only or do they have to do both front

Technically, it is possible to have just one strut done at a time. But, I don’t know of a single mechanic that would advise having one strut done. Struts are replaced in pairs for several reasons, the most important of them being that replacing only one can very easily lead to an unsafe driving condition. If you were to put a new strut on one side, and have a worn strut on the other side, the suspension will react differently when hitting bumps, and can cause the vehicle to lose control, as the struts will bounce and rebound at different rates. This can cause the vehicle to pull to one side. It would not take a very extreme speed, or bump, to cause the unsafe condition. If this is something that you would like to have inspected and/or repaired, contact a certified mechanic, like those available at YourMechanic.com.