T. L. Leathers

T. L. Leathers is located at No. 15/ 52m Civil Lines, and the first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is the smell. It’s that heavy, earthy scent of leather that gets into your clothes and stays there. I don’t even notice it anymore, though my wife says she can tell I’m home before I even open the front door. Scraps of leather are all over the floor and big rolls of hide lean against the walls in every corner. It’s not the most organized place, but the system we have works well enough for us. The days are mostly spent cutting, stitching, and polishing. Using these old heavy tools has been my routine since I started. Some of the machines make a lot of noise, so shouting is the only way to be heard over the racket. Civil Lines is a decent area, but finding a parking spot can be a real headache on Monday mornings. There is a small window looking out onto the street, but the glass is usually too dusty to see much through. Making things that last is what we focus on. If a stitch isn't straight, someone usually has to rip it out and start over, which adds time to the day. Nobody is in a massive rush here; getting the pieces right is more important. It’s just us working with our hands and trying to keep the business going one day at a time without much fuss.